Armenian Socrates: Stepan Partamian

[H D]

Hello,

 

 

I plan on posting essays related to Armenian culture and history on my blog titled "Radio Transmitting in a Snowstorm" at http://radiotransmit....blogspot.com/. The title is derived from a line from Gostan Zarian: "Every Armenian is like a radio transmitting in a snowstorm."

 

My first essay is on the appearance of Stepan Partamian among the Armenian people with comparison to Socrates and others of the same line, e.g. Voltaire and Nietzsche.

 

Partamian himself read it and, to his credit, posted it on his Facebook page to elicit comments from his followers. One comment read: "Stepan: this is beyond you...the diatribe is of a very learned man in philosophy and the critique he makes is sound...You either have to debate him on a certain level of philosophical knowledge or let things go by...In all, I see this a positive critique of you...After all, the guy has put lots of time and effort in writing it!!!"

 

http://radiotransmit...-partamian.html

Edited January 4, 2013 by H D

[Johannes]

Partamian Armenian Socrates ? Really?

 

[H D]

There is, at the very least, a striking physical resemblance; and despite other numerous similarities, the physical similarity is itself significant. I cite the physiognomist who once met Socrates and told him that, judging by his visage, he must be a cave of all the most foul and vile lusts, Socrates' only answer was that the man was correct. Compare that to Partamian's admitted, shall we say, love of love-making, which is such a frequent theme of his.

 

It is somewhat long, I know, but I urge people to read more than the title, the first line, a line in the middle and the last line; and also to abandon any presuppositions they have about Socrates. For there are two parallel traditions, the prevalent one now being that Socrates was the most noble and enlightened man in history, the other well attested one that Socrates was an ugly, sarcastic, insane, lecherous anti-Greek subversive.