What Socrates Didn't Write

ABSTRACT: Socrates never wrote anything; he thought the technology of writing was dangerous for the self and the social fabric. That curmudgeonly stance has lately made Socrates a character in public debates about artificial intelligence (AI). Here I return to the source, unpacking what bothered Socrates about writing and whether it really does tell us anything about our technological moment. Socrates's arguments are more complex than you might think—it is not all about the purported link between writing and forgetfulness. What we should take from Socrates is a template for anticipating the epistemic effects of technological disruption.