Café de Sophia, page 1
Café de Sophia
M.A. Alsadah
ISBN (Print Edition): 978-1-66785-319-2
ISBN (eBook Edition): 978-1-66785-320-8
© 2022. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement
Preface
CHAPTER 1: Introduction
CHAPTER 2: Knowledge
CHAPTER 3: Justice & Equality
CHAPTER 4: Right and Wrong
CHAPTER 5: School of Pythagoras
CHAPTER 6: Perfection
CHAPTER 7: To Whom Wisdom Should Be Spoken To
CHAPTER 8: Love
CHAPTER 9: Personality Traits
CHAPTER 10: Logic
CHAPTER 11: Research
About the Author
Also by M. A. Alsadah
Acknowledgement
I wouldn’t have finished this wonderful journey of writing this book if it wasn’t for my wonderful companions that each deserve special thanks and yet I wouldn’t have done them justice in doing so.
I would like to thank my best friends Hassan Alajaj and Abdulrahman Hakami who have been true companions in this journey. We would sit together and have long conversations and discussions about some of the topics mentioned in the book. I surely learned from their knowledge and perspective. I’m really blessed to have someone who I can sit and have deep intellectual conversations with.
I would also like to give special thanks to my editor, Katie Zdybel, not only for her superb editorial skills, but also for her thoughtful comments on the conversations and arguments made in the book that helped in reshaping those conversations. She really understood the vision of my book and preserved its soul.
Preface
When I first read some of the work of Plato, I immediately got attached to the Socratic dialogue method of rationalizing, teaching, examining, and sometimes researching a topic intellectually. It is really a fascinating method, the back-and-forth play of logic and reasoning between speakers is at its peak. Plato gave me the love for Philosophy, Wisdom, and Speech, he was the stepping stone for me into the work of other philosophers like Pythagoras, Lao Tzu, and my favorite, Hermes Trismegistus, along with many others of different believes, schools, and religious backgrounds. Plato’s work has been my inspiration in writing this book
Writing Cafe de Sophia has been a fascinating journey. A journey through philosophy, knowledge and wisdom that came to an end not because it finished, but because I had to stop it somewhere; for writing such a work is a lifelong journey not easily completed and hardly ever perfected. Cafe de Sophia has been a special work for me. Having something to grow and develop with across a period of time takes a special place in your heart.
In this book, I have quoted from many different books and philosophers and please note that my interpretations of those quotes are not the definitive definitions of what they mean but my personal understanding of them. Here, I’m trying to bring new fresh ideas and perspectives into the topics and trying to divert as much as possible from already established explanations and thoughts. At the end, please consider all of the argumentations and speeches made in the book as my personal research in the discussed topics and that the conclusions achieved are not definitive.
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
People find interest in all sorts of things. And those interests all lay on one spectrum with good on one side and bad on the other side. People say that being on the bad side is the worst thing that could happen to anyone, but that couldn’t be further from the truth—at least for me. The way I see it, being in the middle or having no interest at all, is much worse because you don’t belong to any side, you are all alone, and you are not passionate about anything. I envy people who are passionate about something and who have found their true calling, whether that thing is good or bad, for they feel a sense of belonging. This may be a sense of belonging to either a group, a hobby, or a critical issue in life.
When I started finding my own way of life, I thought that being in the middle and waiting for something good was a much better position to be in than being on the bad side. But to be honest, I would want anything—good or bad—to move me from where I’m at right now. I am only sixteen years old, but already, I feel like a lost soul with no passion in life.
These are the thoughts in my mind as I walk home from school. I am trapped in a daily routine of lostness and boredom that only goes away when I sleep. On top of this, it has started to rain.
‘Great,’ I said to myself, hurrying home along the sidewalk. ‘I better find a place to stay out of the rain otherwise I’m going to catch a cold.’
I came upon a café, entered in, and took out my phone to make a call.
‘Hi Mom, I finished my classes early today,’ I said. ‘I was walking home, but it started raining heavily all of the sudden. Can you come and pick me up?’
‘I’m sorry, honey,’ my mother replied, ‘I’m afraid I won’t be able to leave work and pick you up for an hour.’
‘It’s OK,’ I said. ‘I can wait, I’ll grab a coffee or something.’
‘Good idea,’ my mother said. ‘What’s the address?’
I spotted a barista walking past me. ‘Excuse me,’ I said, ‘what’s the name of this café and what’s the address please?’
‘It’s called Café de Sophia,’ replied the barista, ‘and it is beside the Paris Opera Granier.’
I thanked the barista and gave the address to my mother.
‘I won’t be late. Have fun!’ said my mother.
I had entered the café in a rush, so I hadn’t paid much attention to the place. But after ending the call, I took a look around to see myself standing in a crowded, classic café that was long, big, and rectangular in shape with a high ceiling. The sound of the babbling of the crowd and the tinkling of tableware filled the air. I walked forward slowly, looking around, getting lost in the atmosphere, and admiring the place for it had minute, exquisite details.
The left wall of the café had gilded panels that came in a thin, wide, rectangular pattern. The panels were embellished with French Louis XV-style, bronze candlestick sconces whilst colorful frescos adorned the entirety of the wider panels. As for the right wall, a series of tall windows and mirrors filled it. The windows, as tall as they were, didn’t extend to the base of the ceiling but rather stopped below, leaving the remaining space to be ornated with a golden garden design that stretched above their window scarfs. There were also white curtains covering the windows. In between the windows that started from the floor, there were large, gilded mirrors that started a bit higher above the floor level and stretched all the way up alongside the windows. The upper frame of the mirrors had an extended ornamentation that was floral in design.
This Rococo interior design that was the emblem of the right-side wall extended all the way up to the ceiling, adorning it with its exquisite architecture. The ceiling was curved and, instead of having frescos painted on it as most common with the Rococo style, it had soft ornamentations that outlined the bases of beautiful crystal chandeliers that spread, equally spaced, at the central line of the café. Also, sculpted moldings of golden colors filled the edges and corners of this multi-layered ceiling. As for the floor, it was made of wood laid down in an interwoven pattern making squares in between the lines, and inside each square, the same pattern was repeated but running in a different angle.
Occupying this great place, were numerous seating areas of various sizes that spread across the café in a random fashion. The seating areas were mainly of two types: the first one came in a different combination of sofas with Bergère or wingback armchairs along with coffee and side tables. The second type had upholstered oval-back chairs or armchairs along with circular, claw-footed tables. All of the furniture was of the Louis XVI design style and had floral toile fabric.
The café was built as a great hall adorned by the exquisite characteristics of the Rococo architecture which is considered highly ornamental, decorative, and theatrical in its design. The brightness of pastel colors was another key element of the Rococo design. This palette, which consisted of a few powdery hues like pearl gray, light yellows, lilacs, and pale blues, helped in bringing the colorful frescos into attention by contrast.
This interior design style of Rococo architecture and Louis XIV furniture brought royalty and class into the café. The café was its own aesthetic universe, where wall and ceiling treatment, art, and decorative elements worked together to create a high-spirited and light atmosphere that made it the perfect backdrop for high-minded aristocrats looking to entertain and impress their guests.
While walking and admiring the café, most of my attention was taken by the frescos on the left-side wall which were of many different themes. Although they were very interesting and required the attention of the viewer, that didn’t stop me from skimming past them, and so, without me noticing, I’d reached the other end of the café. On the wall of that end, there was a large fresco that almost stretched across the whole wall. It was obvious that this fresco was the masterpiece and jewel of the café and I just had to stop and examine it.
The painting showed a scenery in what seemed to be in ancient Greek or Rome based on the architecture. A
While I was admiring the fresco, I heard someone say, ‘It is called “The School of Athens”.’
I turned to the direction of the voice to see a man dressed in a suit, sitting alone at a table, and I replied to him with, ‘What?’
‘The name of the painting you were admiring, “The School of Athens”,’ said the man.
‘It is really stunning,’ I said.
‘Come over here please, young man,’ requested the man.
I approached the man and got a closer look at him. He seemed to be in his early fifties and had short, black hair and a circular-style beard with traces of white strands in it. The man sat comfortably with one foot on top of the other. He had a serious look in his eyes, giving him an air of dignity and prestige.
‘Please have a seat,’ offered the man with a gentle smile.
‘No, thank you,’ I said. ‘I don’t want to disturb you.’
‘Please, I insist,’ he replied.
I felt that it would be rude to keep refusing and so I pulled out the chair in front of him and sat down.
The man smiled at me. ‘What’s your name, young man?’
‘Nate River,’ I replied.
‘You have a nice name, mister River, I like it,’ the man said. ‘As for me, I won’t tell you my real name but my friends call me, Plato.’
‘Plato?!’ I remarked.
Plato smiled gently and said, ‘It is a long story, don’t worry about it. Anyway, I was hoping to see if one of my friends were here, but I’m failing to see anyone today.’
‘“Hoping to see!”’ I said. ‘You didn’t agree to meet them beforehand?’ After I said that I noticed that I was questioning a strange man and so I immediately added apologetically, ‘I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to judge you or question or …’
‘Very perceptive, Mr. River!’ Plato said, interrupting me.
‘What?’ I said in a shock after hearing this unexpected reply.
‘You see, my friends and I come here occasionally,’ said Plato. ‘You can say that this is our usual place. Nonetheless, since I don’t think that any of them are coming today, you will have to keep me accompanied.’
‘I’m glad to sit with you, but what would a man like you want with a boy like me?’ I asked.
‘Just a simple conversation, nothing more,’ Plato answered.
‘A conversation?’ I asked.
‘Don’t worry; I promise you’ll like it,’ said Plato as he raised his hand, calling to a specific person working at the café.
A middle-aged man came to our table. ‘Good afternoon, Plato, it’s nice to see you, as usual.’
‘Likewise, Alfred, likewise,’ replied Plato. ‘How are you doing today?’
‘I’m fine, thank you,’ Alfred replied. ‘I see you have a new friend today, and a young one at that, is he one of your relatives?’
‘Actually, we’ve just met,’ Plato said.
‘So, are you going to initiate him?’ said Alfred, smiling at me and making me a little confused.
Plato laughed gently and said, ‘I hope so.’
‘So you do have a new friend!’ Alfred said with a smile. ‘I’ll bring the initiation tea cup!’
‘Thank you, Alfred!’ Plato said with a gentle smile as Alfred left.
All of this was happening while I stood confused, and a little bit worried, from the odd interaction that took place between two strangers.
‘Seeing how perceptive you were earlier,’ Plato started speaking to me, ‘I take it you noticed that Alfred and I must have known each other for quite a while, right?’
‘It is very obvious and nice too,’ I said with a smile. ‘Also, what did he mean by initiation?’
Plato smiled and said, ‘don’t mind that, let’s get to our conversation, Mr. River.’
‘Please call me, Nate,’ I requested.
‘All right, Nate,’ spoke Plato. ‘Introduce yourself to me; I’d like to know you.’
Usually, I would be introverted when talking to a stranger but something about Plato made me feel at ease. I felt comfortable and safe with him.
‘What do you want to know?’ I asked.
Plato took a comfortable sitting position and said, ‘Whatever you’d like me to know.’
‘Well … my name is Nate River. I’m 16 years old,’ I said. ‘I go to school here in Paris and I’m taking game design classes in the afternoon.’
After I finished speaking, I expected Plato to say something, but he didn’t and there was a moment of silence in which he was staring at me with eyes full of confidence and seriousness.
After a pause, Plato smiled and said, ‘Is that all?’
I replied hesitantly, not knowing what he expected. ‘Yes.’
Alfred returned and served us one teapot and two tea cups and Plato thanked him. I noticed the crockery of the café was vintage Royal Albert of floral design.
‘Let me ask you this, Nate,’ said Plato as he poured some tea for us. ‘Would you hit a dog or a cat if it annoys you?’
‘What?!’ I replied, confused from his question that came out of nowhere.
Plato then asked, ‘Or would you commit stealing?’
I replied a little seriously, ‘No, of course not! Why would you think that I would do such things?’
‘Why wouldn’t I? I don’t know you, and after all, I’m just saying it as a possibility, not as a certainty,’ said Plato.
‘I’m a little confused that you would think of me in this way, especially after what I have just told you about myself,’ I said.
‘You mean your introduction?’ asked Plato.
‘Yes,’ I answered.
Plato took a sip of his tea and said, ‘So you think that what you said about yourself shouldn’t make me think of you that way?’
‘I think it shouldn’t,’ I replied.
Plato then said, ‘I don’t blame you for thinking that since you know yourself, but for strangers, they might not necessarily come to your conclusion.’
‘I’m not sure I understand what you mean,’ I replied.
Plato smiled and asked, ‘Tell me, Nate, does going to school in Paris prevent one from committing the acts I mentioned?’
‘No, not necessarily,’ I answered.
Plato continued, ‘And what about the study of game design?’
Seeing where Plato was going with his questions made me take a moment to think and not answer him immediately. ‘The same goes to game design,’ I said.
‘Now, would you blame me for thinking that you would hit an animal or steal a thing?’ said Plato.
‘I suppose I can’t,’ I replied.
‘To be honest,’ spoke Plato, ‘you haven’t answered my original question in which I wanted to know you.’
‘I still don’t see where I failed to answer your question,’ I said, confused.
‘You told me your name and age, which is perfectly fine,’ said Plato, ‘but then you started telling me about where and what you study, and that’s where you went astray from my question.’
‘I still don’t understand,’ I replied.
Plato continued, ‘Let’s take, for example, a man who went to the top prestigious schools in his early years, and then he graduated with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, with honors, from the best universities, and now he is the CEO of a big company. Would you say that this man is a good person or a bad person?’
I replied with, ‘Well… since he went to prestigious schools he must be from a prestigious family, which will mean that he would have had the best education, crafts, and skills taught to him. Someone like that I’d say ought to be a good person.’
‘Not necessarily,’ Plato said, as I reached for my cup of tea for a sip. ‘Putting aside the type of education this person has received and how he’s implementing it—for these things deserve their own conversation—it is true that having the best educators and tutors may help raise and make a good person, but this is not always the case. Don’t you see some of this type of people that receive a prestigious education behave like morons—acting selfish, arrogant, and without pride or honor?’
‘It is true that there are people like that, but there are also people with the same circumstances that are humble and with good manners,’ I said.
