Forgetfulness in the learner's souls, because they will not use their memories ... they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing; they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom with the reality - Socrates, 5th Century, BCE - From the beginning of Phaedrus in Codex Clarkianus, transcribed 895 AD
Real knowledge, as Socrates said, can only be gathered via dialog: a give and take of questions and answers where ideas are interrogated until the knowledge is truly understood. But with a book, that cannot be done unless one has access to the author.
