My Socratic Homage Regarding the Breeder's Cup

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter


As many of you know, much of Plato's philosophy was written in the form of dialogue. In fact, a lot of Philisophy is written in that manor, Socrates himself never wrote anything, all we know of his philosophy is what Plato recorded in his dialogues. With that background, allow me to analogize the Breeders Cup Zenyatta/Rachel debate.

Breeder's Cup Tweeter: Rachel Alexandra's avoidance of the Breeder's Cup is clearly a sign that her handlers admit that she would be defeated by Zenyatta, and is therefor the inferior race horse.

TR Slyder: I see. And why are you convinced of this?

BCT: Well, the challege has been issued. One party has accepted and the other one has backed away. Surely that is a concession of inferiority.

TRS: I see what you mean.

BCT: Indeed, I can see of no other explanation for her avoiding such a challenge if not for fear of humiliation in defeat.

TRS: Surely. And a wise man you are. Afterall, you Tweet on behalf of the Breeder's Cup. I assume that you are confident that, in a debate between you and me about Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra, you would emerge victorious.

BCT: I am confident of that, T.R., yes.

TRS: Being that your confidence is so high, I'd imagine that you feel you could defeat me in that debate regardless of circumstance- be it on an airplane, or at breakfast, or outside, or inside or on a paddle boat, standing up, sitting down, etc.

BCT: That is correct- very confident.

TRS: And being that your case for your horse is so strong, and your debate skills are so adept, surely you would have no fear or apprehension in debating me, would you?

BCT: That is absolutely correct.

TRS: Outstanding, my good friend. Well here is the thing, being that I had a late night out last night, I was groggy this morning, as can happen after late night bar crawls. When I awoke this afternoon all I had for breakfast was leftover chili, which I ate ravenously before having 3 espressos to counteract my grogginess from from my late night. If you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom rather urgently.

BCT: That is rather disgusting, T.R.. But I won't stand in the way of your personal biological necessities. This discussion may continue when you are finished.

TRS: Well, Breeder's Cup Tweeter, it is funny that you mention that. I think that I am ready to have this Rachel Alexandra v. Zenyatta debate once and for all.

BCT: Oh you are? Surely, you know it's a debate you cannot win.

TRS: A worthy advesary you are indeed. I am nearly ready for the debate now in fact, however I must use the restroom this instant. Please meet in there in exactly 75 seconds and we can then begin our debate over which is the better race horse.

BCT: Um, TR... I really rather would not. That sounds a rather crude venue for any competition. Debating was not intended to be carried out in a restroom, afterall.

TRS: What do you mean?

BCT: Well, I hardly think that is a reasonable forum to settle any kind of competition. In fact, didn't you offer to debate me there last year in October?

TRS: But you claimed your arguments were far superior to mine, and you had no fear of debating me. Yet you now express fear.

BCT: Well, I think this is different. This isn't what I had in mind.

TRS: Earlier you stated that such concession necessarily states that your point inferior, yet you profess to have the better argument. This perplexes me, Breeder's Cup Tweeter. How can both be true? Surely as a sagacious man, you can resolve this incongruity.

BCT: Well it isn't that my argument is any less cogent in your restroom, it's that I find the venue unsuitable to my liking, and given the circumstances of location and what would be going on in that venue during our debate, I find it to be more suitable to you as a debater than to me. A more fair debate can be carried out in a venue that disadvantages no one, then and only then can this argument be resolved. Being that this debate is so important to us both, you should not be allowed to pick a venue that favors you, yet repulses me and any debating purist. The suggestion of that venue is disgusting to anyone who respects debating. And you have suggested it two years in a row now, T.R.!

TRS: Ah, yes. All that have you just said is indeed correct and we agree most happily. Now you know what Rachel Alexandra thinks of Santa Anita's Synthetic surface, my dear friend.




See also: The Breeder's Cup Tweet that inspired this post

Cheering for Laundry with Socrates and Ron Santo






I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.