It is either coincidence piled on top of coincidence," said Hollus, "or it is deliberate design.

Paul Levinson has outdone himself: The Plot to Save Socrates is a philosophically rich gem full of big ideas and wonderful time-travel tricks.

Since ancient times, the philosophers' secret has always been this: we know that God does not exist, or, at least, if he does, he's utterly indifferent to our individual affairs--but we can't let the rabble know that; it's the fear of God, the threat of divine punishment and the promise of divine reward, that keeps in line those too unsophisticated to work out questions of morality on their own.

Secrecy was the problem; transparency the obvious cure.

Not wanting to die was another universal constant, it seemed.

The right things to do are those that keep our violence in abeyance; the wrong things are those that bring it to the fore.

You can't choose the ways in which you'll be tested.