Before the rise of the internet, large institutions were able to tightly regulate what information was shared with the masses. However, due to the internet boom, the amount of information available to the public has grown exponentially. One major consequence of the massive increase in information available to the public is a corresponding surge of disillusionment with the structures that previously dictated the settled truth (The Revolt of the Public- Martin Gurri).The public has become so hyper-aware of the failings of previously admired institutions that there has been a rise in nihilism that has accompanied this multiplication of information channels. The dangers of this swell in anti-establishment sentiments is demonstrated by the contribution of the non-compliance of the public to the proliferation of COVID-19. The question is, how can healthcare providers most effectively respond to this crisis of legitimacy so the public’s health can be most properly tended to? I believe there is knowledge encased within some of Plato’s dialogues that could assist health practitioners care for others within their personal sphere (patient interactions), at an institutional level, and within the recently constructed information sphere. Through analyzing Plato’s Theaetetus and The Sophist, clinicians can comprehend what exactly is knowledge, how the pursuit of knowledge is not only most beneficial for their betterment but also that of their patients, and how to identify those individuals who pretend to have knowledge (sophists). Additionally, through The Statesman, clinicians can learn ways to re-establish the structural integrity of their institutions that is presently weakened. Finally, through The Gorgias, clinicians can learn how to practice the art of rhetoric in order to improve the physical and spiritual health of their patients while combating the expanding level of persuasive medical misinformation.

Casey is very grateful for all the instruction Dr. Gregory Beabout has provided to him over his college career, from his freshman year Introduction to Philosophy course, to his Philosophy of Law and Catholic Social Thought classes during his junior year, all the way up to his Senior Inquiry. He is also very appreciative for all the assistance Dr. Beabout has provided him with comprehending course materials and supplementary materials, as well as with advancing his own contributive arguments. Dr. Beabout is a large reason why Casey decided to become more involved in the discipline of philosophy and Casey is grateful for all the insightful dialectical discussions that they have engaged in over the course of his college tenure.