Roosevelt Montás on Socrates and the Universality of the Classics

Mar 12, 2022

Roosevelt Montás, Director of the Freedom and Citizenship Program at Columbia University and author of "Rescuing Socrates," shares his transformative journey sparked by discovering a copy of Socrates. He delves into how classical texts blur racial and class lines, emphasizing their universal relevance today. Montás highlights the importance of philosophical inquiry for youth, the interconnectedness of ancient thinkers, and how classical ideas have fueled modern civil rights movements. He advocates for diversifying the literary canon to include marginalized voices.

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ANECDOTE

Finding Socrates

Roosevelt Montás discovered Socrates' works in a pile of discarded books.
This chance encounter sparked his lifelong passion for classical literature.

ANECDOTE

Drawn to Beauty

Montás was drawn to the books' beauty before their content.
He regrets not taking more books due to limited English and bookshelf space.

INSIGHT

Mentorship in Philosophy

Philosophical education thrives on personal mentorship, as Socrates believed.
This personal connection fosters deeper understanding and application of philosophical ideas.

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Ryan talks to Roosevelt Montás about his new book "Rescuing Socrates," how his life changed at 16 when he discovered a copy of Socrates in his neighbors trash, how the universality of the ancient texts blur the lines between our conceptions of race and class, and more.

Roosevelt Montás is Director of the Freedom and Citizenship Program. He was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to New York as a teenager. He attended public schools in Queens and was admitted to Columbia College in 1991 through its Opportunity Programs. In 2003, he completed a Ph.D. in English, also at Columbia. From 2008 to 2018, he served as Director of the Center for the Core Curriculum and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Columbia College. Roosevelt is the author of “Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation.”

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