Plato and the Sophists
This is an excerpt from the paper...
Plato (428-347 B.C.) stands as one of the three greatest philosophers of the ancient Greek Athenian tradition, sharing the honor of the triad with his teacher, Socrates (469-399 B.C.) and his student, Aristotle (384-322 B.C.). As a matter of practical importance, he was also a teacher and rhetorician, the first as a source of general livelihood and philosophical obligation, the second as a consideration of livelihood within the specific context of Athenian society. The democracy of the Athenians relied heavily upon rhetorical skill - in its politics and its jurisprudence particularly - and the concerned philosopher could not be "of this world" without being interested in rhetoric. Nor could the teacher: Plato's Academy required students, and the techniques of rhetoric were considered one of the necessary talents for a well-educated Athenian to possess. So it was that Plato considered matters of rhetoric in his writings from both the high level of theoretical consideration and the lower level of self-interest. As a matter of self-interest, Plato's concern was with the Sophists' approach to rhetoric - for his contemporary Isocrates was a far more successful and influential teacher than was Plato (Jaeger 111). Plato's Academy was not known for producing political leaders nor champion rhetoricians; Isocrates' school was (Bizzell and Herzberg 43 & 55). Partly this was the result of emphasis. Isocrates and lesser Sophists emphasized the oratorical type of rhetorical trai
. . .
as answers readily that the value of rhetoric lies in its power to make a person sound more convincing on a subject than even the experts. In response to Gorgias' definition of rhetoric's value, the problem as Socrates sees it is that how can Gorgias know that he is teaching his students to use this power for good or not?
Gorgias does not give a very clear answer to this - but his student, Pollus, does:
POLLUS: Then you think rhetoric is a routine?
SOCRATES: Subject to your approval, I do.
POLLUS: What kind of routine?
SOCRATES: One that produces gratification and pleasure.
POLLUS: Then you do not think rhetoric a fine thing, if it can produce gratification among men? (Woodhead trans., "Gorgias" 71-72)
Gratification is not enough to an absolutist of high ideals such as Plato, and he has Socrates "discover" this in the central portion of the dialogue. The key point that Socrates makes is that, if rhetoric is used badly, if skilled rhetoricians use their "power" to dishonest ends and exploit others, then they cannot be "gratified."
SOCRATES: ... You admit the existence of bodies and souls?
GORGIAS: Of course.
SOCRATES: And do you not consider that there is a healthy condition for each?
GORGIAS: I do.
. . .
Some common words found in the essay are:
Gorgias Plato, Plato Socrates, Gorgias Plato's, GORGIAS Woodhead, Truth Appearance, Bizzell Herzberg, Greek Athenian, Plato's Academy, Knowledge Plato, Sophists Sophists, press 1990, readings classical, times boston bedford, st martin's press, sophist rhetoric, bedford books, times boston, boston bedford, trans gorgias, editors rhetorical, bedford books st, boston bedford books, classical times, trans phaedrus, martin's press 1990,
Approximate Word count = 1713
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)
More Essays on Plato and the Sophists
|
Customer Service
to Over
32,000 Professionally Written Papers!!!
