Chapter 18 Summary

The chapter begins with the Narrator rejoining an examination of Phaedrus' dealings with Quality. By not defining it, Phaedrus had removed it from any intellectual field of study. Esthetics, on the other hand, which Phaedrus had resisted, provided him with an impetus to study philosophy rather than the narrower field of rhetoric. Returning to the hike circumstances, the Narrator notes that Chris falls down and angers the Narrator by asserting that he no longer cares about the hike at all. It is no longer any fun. Returning to the Quality investigation, the Narrator traces how Phaedrus used Realism to justify Quality. This involved Phaedrus discovery that if Quality were removed from consideration in all sensory and realistic contexts of life, only pure rationality would remain unchanged. All other modalities of experience, and especially those connected with any enriching or soulful aspects would be...