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Thoreau, Parrhesia, and the Socratic Tradition of Philosophy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 August 2023

Reza Hosseini Open the ORCID record for Reza Hosseini [Opens in a new window]
Reza Hosseini*
Affiliation:
The Independent Institute of Education, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Most objections against Henry Thoreau aim at his “unfriendly” provocations. In this article, I argue that we need to situate his exhortative style in the context of practicing parrhesia or the bold expression of truth in the Socratic tradition of philosophy. Philosophical parrhesia can be defined as the practice of speaking the truth with an eye to bringing home the realization that one must change one's life. The transformation Thoreau has in mind is hinged upon acquiring the practical knowledge of cultivating the senses through what he calls “excursion.” This, I argue, is his key contribution to the said tradition.

Résumé

Résumé

En général, la plupart des objections aux écrits d'Henry Thoreau se penchent sur ses provocations « inamicales ». Dans cet article, je propose que nous examinions son style par rapport à la pratique de la parrhésie, c'est-à-dire l'expression de la vérité d'après la tradition socratique de la philosophie. La parrhésie est la pratique consistant à dire la vérité dans le but de prendre conscience de l'importance de changer sa propre vie. La transformation envisagée par Thoreau dépend de l'acquisition d'un savoir-faire à l’égard de la culture des sens, et ce, à travers ce qu'il appelle « l'excursion ». Voilà ce qui constitue sa contribution fondamentale à ladite tradition.

Keywords

SocratesHenry Thoreauparrhesiaphilosophy as spiritual exercises19th century American philosophy
Type
Article
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Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review / Revue canadienne de philosophie , First View , pp. 1 - 18
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Canadian Philosophical Association/Publié par Cambridge University Press au nom de l’Association canadienne de philosophie.

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