By Mark Marotta
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Howard Bishow says he has been a member of Socrates Circle for about eight months. “The name alone attracted me,” he says of the group that meets twice monthly at Ann’s Choice.

The meetings provide an outlet for Ann’s Choice residents to have serious conversations on significant issues, says the group’s founder Alan Rogers.

Open discussion
The group takes its name from Socrates, of course. The ancient Greek  philosopher taught that the purpose of conversation is for people to “learn from listening to other people,” Rogers explains. He says discussion is as much for the people listening as for those presenting ideas.

“I had been interested in trying to establish a conversation group for some time,” recalls Rogers, who started Socrates Circle in January 2005. Born and educated in England, Rogers attended Oxford University on a mathematics scholarship and earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Princeton University.

He says Socrates Circle achieves two significant objectives: Allowing participants to engage in an intellectual activity that depends not on skill but on language and helping people become good listeners.

“The discussion is open. The topics are challenging,” says Bishow, adding that ethics and wisdom are among the subjects of past meetings. This fall’s program will tackle a number of topics related to the upcoming election, such as integrity, duty, pride, and public service.

Concentric circles
Attendees sit in two concentric circles of chairs. Those who feel they have something to say sit in the inner circle, while the outer chairs are for those who just want to listen.

Bishow says the outer ring of seats gives a sense of security to people who might not want to talk. He adds that quite a few folks show up at Socrates Circle just to listen.

Typically meetings draw about 25 people. If attendance is more than 30 or 40, Bishow  says, it becomes too difficult to conduct the conversation.