Socrates Meets Marx: The Father of Philosophy Cross-Examines the Founder of Communism [Paperback]

Peter Kreeft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0898709709 | ISBN-13: 978-0898709704

Utilizing the dialogue format that the Greek philosopher made famous, Kreeft presents the latest in his series of small books on philosophy. In a unique and compelling take on the philosophies of the modern world, Kreeft pits the ancient Greek philosopher against the founder of Communism. Humorous, frank, and insightful, this book challenges the reader to step in and take hold of what is right and to cast away what is wrong. Topics covered include such varied subjects as private property, the individual, the “Three Philosophies of Man”, women, individualism, and more. A wonderful introduction to philosophy for the neophyte, and a joy for the experienced student.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Humorous, frank, and insightful, this book challenges the reader to step in and take hold of what is right and to cast away what is wrong. Topics covered included such varied subjects as private property, the individual, the Three Philosophies of Man, women, individualism, and more. A wonderful introduction to philosophy for the neophyte, and a joy for the experienced student of thought.

     “Imagine two of the most influential thinkers of all time, and two of the most
diametrically opposed, thrust together in a no holds barred debate about some of the most important questions: Does man move the world or is he only a puppet of forces beyond his control? Is there a human nature or only market forces? Is Communism the liberator of mankind or a deadly scourge? In Peter Kreeft’s Socrates Meets Marx, the father of philosophy cross examines the founder of communism using the Communist Manifesto, details from the life of Marx himself, and the witnesses of history as evidence to be considered for judgment. If only every edition of the Communist Manifesto would have been bound together with a copy of this book, the world would be a much saner place.” – Christopher Kaczor, author of Proportionalism and the Natural Law Tradition

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 179 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898709709
• ISBN-13: 978-0898709704
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.7 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,104,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

--------- AUDIO LECTURES --------- $1 each (MP3)

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RECORDED LECTURES:
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---"Beauty" -- The branch of philosophy dealing with aesthetics.
---"C. S. Lewis and Mere Christianity" -- C.S. Lewis' masterpiece
---"Christianity in Lord of the Rings" -- The cleverly disguised role of God
---"Culture War" -- A call to arms, mapping key enemies and battlefields
---"Existence of God" -- A magnificent overview of the arguments
---"Good, True, Beautiful" -- C.S. Lewis on three great transcendentals
---"Happiness" -- How do you get it? Christ's version vs. the world's
---"Heaven" -- The heart's deepest longing
---"Hollywood Screenwriting" -- Encouragement to film's creative storytellers
---"If Einstein Had Been a Surfer" -- Rediscovering intuitive thinking
---"Lord, Liar, or Lunatic" -- The famous argument for Christ's identity
---"Problem of Pain" -- C.S. Lewis's brilliant exposition on suffering and evil
---"Sex in Heaven" -- Imaging the fire of God's love
---"Sexual Reconnection" -- Healing the link between sex & love
---"Shocking Beauty" -- The live character of Christ
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Lecture scheduling and more info:
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Marx Meets His Match October 30, 2003

By William Muehlenberg VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Peter Kreeft is professional philosopher, a prolific author, and an avid Christian apologist. He has written a number of books using the Socratic method of dialogue and questioning to stimulate thought, correct fuzzy thinking, and challenge our unexamined presuppositions.

He is now in the midst of a new series of volumes, entitled Socrates Meets.... The series is designed to help introduce the reader to the major thinkers and their writings. In this book we have Kreeft (via Socrates) analyse and dissect The Communist Manifesto.

This book, of course, belongs to that group of books which almost everyone knows about but very few people have actually read. Works by Darwin and Freud could also be mentioned (and one suspects that Kreeft has these authors in the pipeline as well).

So it is quite important that someone who actually knows these Great Books quite well can make them accessible and understandable to the average layperson. These volumes do a very good job of distilling the contents and ideas of the Great Books, making them easy to understand and digest. The format of a debate or dialogue between Socrates and his antagonist makes for enjoyable and illuminating reading.

Indeed, the format makes the book fun while helping the reader discover discerning and penetrating insights into the subject of the debate. By uniting a Christian worldview with the probing Socratic method, Kreeft is able to clarify an opponent's position, and point out the inconsistencies and fallacies therein. He is then in a position to show the superior claims of the Judeo-Christian position, over against that found in their works.

This volume applies solid logic and the timeless truths of the Judeo-Christian tradition to one of the most influential of modern thinkers. It makes for a great introduction to this thinker, as well as an incisive critique of his thoughts. One can only look forward to future volumes in this excellent series.

30 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Karl's Glaring Mistake... June 2, 2003

By Bruce Ware

Format:Paperback

After having approached the economic arguments against socialism (and its subordinate -isms like Marx-, Commun-, Naz-, Lenin-, Mao-, etc.) from the perspectives of Adam Smith, Ludwig von Mises, Thomas Sowell, and most especially Friedrich Hayek, it didn't take much to be convinced that Marx was, well, just plain wrong. We have the empirical evidence of something like 80 years of actual practice to point to, to assess, and from which to draw conclusions.

Not until I read Prof. Kreeft's work did I come to comprehend the more important question: *why Marx was wrong*. Socialism was not just hampered by a flawed execution ("everyone" says that Russia should not have been the first nation to try socialism), but fundamentally crippled by a flawed premise. And thereby fated to fail.

I won't give the lesson away - you'll enjoy getting there yourself. I will say, though, that if Marx had been right, our world would be a much more horrifying place than any Matrix-like "Dis-topia" that Hollywood could contrive.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dialectical Materialism gets schooled by the master. November 4, 2008

By S. T. Sullivan

Format:Paperback

As a first impression, I greatly enjoyed how Kreeft captured the reported personality of Marx - "I will destroy you!" being the 'great man's' typical response to any questioning of his all-encompasing weltanschauung . No wonder Kreeft has to place Marx in philosphical purgatory in order to truly dig down into his logical fallacies and empty rhetoric. Given the excellent and humorous setting for the Socratic belting, the "historical fact" of Dialectical Materialism is shown to be nothing more than the will of an angry, misanthropic man, unfortunately possessed with charismatic and intellectual talents, imposed upon willing positivistic 19th century materialists as inescapable, objective reality; Marx's ideas fail not only the god of history he so adored, but the basic premises of logic any system, even that of of an absolute Materialist such as Marx, must abide by in their quest to explain the world around them.

Marx's empty, personality driven tautology is exposed for what it is, and the Marxist Dialectic is given its just rewards. Living in an era where ideas are often treated as nothing more than market induced commodities (a perspective Marx would applaud), Professor Kreeft's work shows the reader where to begin searching for true wisdom, and provides the tools to break the circle of totalitarian and subjectivist ideas, which threaten our world still.