Socrates and Gorgias by Plato, Essay

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This is really the extent of Gorgias attempting to remove himself from Socrates' argument, but instead, pulls him deeper into the intellectual trap, for Gorgias has only one misgiving about the entire situation . . . he fears that the crowd of onlookers might be disinterested in two men trying to outdo each other in being wrong (458b-c). Thus, Gorgias proves two things: he cannot intellectually handle a multi-layered discussion and he needs an audience in order to perform -- the basics of dialog and intellectual discourse are lost upon him. If then, Gorgias needs an audience, Socrates must be correct in that rhetoric is a craft -- designed not for serious intellectual combat, but for pure entertainment value.

2.Explain and critically evaluate Socrates reasoning for the apparently preposterous claim that tyrants like orators have no great power (Gorgias 466a-468e). You should make sure that you take into account Socrates distinction between doing what one wants and doing what one sees fit. How does Socrates argue for this distinction? How crucial to Socrates argument is it? Is there any such distinction or is Socrates simply mistaken? or, even worse, is Socrates merely playing word games.

One of the primary claims within the entire dialog focuses on Socrates' view of the wielding of real power. He advances the idea that "orators and tyrants have the very least power in any of our cities" (466d). By putting rulers (tyrants) and practitioners of rhetoric into the same category, Socrates indicates that both groups, think they are doing what is in the best interest of themselves to further their means, but in fact the unhappiest person is the wicked one who does not meet with justice, rebuke, and punishment (472e).

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For Socrates, doing what one wants is pitiable, nonsensical, and not reasonable -- instead, it gives in to base instincts. Doing what is morally rights, however, may be unpopular, may be grounds for the mob turning, but it is still right. Rhetoric, then, is window dressing, comparable to pastry baking and cosmetics as opposed to medicine and gymnastics -- one is a quick fix and a surface dressing; not long lasting, not moral, not real; the other takes time, effort and work (464c-465d). This difference between the wants of humans and the needs of humans juxtaposed between the surface thought of rhetoric opposed to intellectual philosophy, forms the basis for Socrates' entire argument.

At times, one could read into the work that Socrates was playing word games. For instance, when Socrates agrees to asking and answering his own questions because there seems to be an intellectual stalemate (505d). Yet, when one steps back to view the methodology of Socrates within the structure of this set of dialogs, Socrates does posit that there are true and verifiable differences between base instincts and morals. In showing that he is both a good sport and sees the value of comedic self-deprecation, the reiterates that he was serious about the best use of rhetoric -- best used against one's self. A man who has done evil is wretched, but a man who does evil and is never caught is worse off (509b).

REFERENCES

Plato. Translated and revised by E.R. Dodds. (2003). Gorgias. Oxford University Press......

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