Plato's (and Socrates') Criticism of Rhetoric in Admission Essay

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Plato's (and Socrates') Criticism of Rhetoric in "Gorgias"

In Plato's philosophical work entitled "Gorgias," the philosopher's criticism of the method of rhetoric as a form of persuasion is the primary focus of Plato's written work. In the said philosophical and ethical discourse, Plato uses the character of Socrates as the 'voice' or transmitter of the message that Plato wants to extend to his readers/audience. "Gorgias" is a philosophical discourse in that I explore the truth and falsity of how effective and fraudulent the process of rhetoric can be in discovering the truth and living life righteously and in the proper way of living that Plato (or Socrates) refers to as "proper existence." There is much evidence wherein Plato illustrated his disagreement with the rhetorical methods of persuasion, although he categorized his disagreements with various issues wherein rhetorical methods are usually used: in the realm of education, politics, and moral philosophy.

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All of these realms illustrate how rhetorical form of persuasion is a fraudulent form of persuasion, because it aims to incite "pleasure in order to create the impression of good" and by saying that contrary to Gorgias' claim that the rhetorical method is the "science of words," Socrates (in effect, Plato) pointed out that rhetoric does not aim for truth nor virtue, two vital factors that Plato asserts as the essential needs of the individual in order to achieve "roper existence" and a righteous life, which can be obtained through a disciplined and healthy body and a "positive temperance" of the soul.

These important ideas are the issues about rhetoric method that Plato criticized. In so doing, Plato also illustrated through the character of Socrates what are the desirable qualities that an individual should undertake and have in order to….....

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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/plato-socrates-criticism-rhetoric-142873