Platos Gorgias: Rhetoric is to be used for one purpose only; to point out what is just!

End goal must be good. And has to be able to give a rational account for itself. Develops Platos most extensive condemnation of false rhetoric o Flattery o Sophistry In an opulent Athenian home Gorgias expounds, emphasizes how Sophists took part in Greek society Accompanied by young Polus, hosted by Callicles Gorgias says that rhetoric is valuable because it confers the power to be more convincing on any subject than even experts Polus is inadequate Callicles: mental strength, the ability to dominate, is the greatest good a person can attain o Plato disagrees, exercising power at other peoples expense is detrimental to souls The health of the soul is the greatest good Rhetoric can be used to conceal the truth, and offer a counterfeit in its place o rhetoric has the potential for harm and good o False arts (flattery) vs true arts DEVELOPMENT BODY Gymnastics Vs Cosmetics (selfadornment) Medicine Vs Cookery SOUL (politics) Legislation Vs Sophistry Justice Vs Rhetoric

(98)

CURE

Socrates discusses what he believes are false arts, such as cookery and beautification. Each of these flawed pursuits chases a more worthy counterpart (medicine and gymnastics respectively). The key distinction between the true and the false arts lies in the fact that the latter target the pleasant, ignoring the good and thereby create a false impression of value within their recipients. True arts, by contrast, aim at the good and thus by nature benefit those on whom they are practiced. In this statement, then, Socrates defines rhetoric as a mere false impression of the more pure notion of justice, just as the false routine of cookery is to the true art of medicine: each provides a hollow image of something more wholesome and real. The claim reveals Socrates's (and through him Plato's) strong distaste for rhetoric and oration, despite his own use of speech later in the dialogue.

SOPHISTRY: What seems to be true: belief, the probable, the conventional vs What is true: knowledge, the certain, the transcendent

Notes Gorgias says, rhetoric is concerned with speech: the greatest of human affairs, and the best o Concerned with the ability to persuade with speeches either judges in law courts (forensic) or statesmen in the council-chamber (political) or an audience at any other affair (ceremonial) (91) o Concerned with POWER, make people your slaves There is no subject on which a rhetorician could not speak Polus tries to condemn Socrates, speaks to his incompetence (96) Gorgias IDs Rhetorical Theory Polus Justice Plato believed rhetoric can delineate truth behind appearances used solely for pointing out justice (Gorgias) Sophist, aged philosopher, feeble rhetoric is concerned with speech: the greatest and best of all human affairs rhetoric gives you power, and has the ability to make any other professor your slave Speaks for Gorgias after Socrates condemns him, his position has very little substance Socrates introduces false arts vs true arts The last opponent in Platos Gorgias Grapples with the concept of POWER, and the ability do dominate, even in light of others suffering is good Is not persuaded by Socrates The ability to rule over others and satisfy ones own desires True power comes from the control and order of ones body and soul According to Platos Gorgias, the cure for the soul The end of all of our actions The highest state in which the soul can be Rhetoric should be used to express what is just and unjust True health (medicine) brings good sound strength while false health (cookery) allows people to feel good

Gorgias

Callicles

Power

Medicine/Rhetoric OR Health/Body Analogy

 Episteme Doxa Sophistry/Sophists

Flattery

Boxer/Trainer (93)

through flattery True health (medicine) allows all parts of the body to work together as a unit Greek for, justified true knowledge (in contrast to doxa) Greek for, common beliefs or common opinions Sophists used the doxa to try to persuade truth is a matter of persuasion and belief rather than a matter of knowledge and truth. only relied on the doxa, not episteme the use of fallacious arguments used to deceive Represents the false artsthose practices which create a false impression of good by means of exciting the pleasant. most rhetoric in practice is merely flattery in order to use rhetoric for good, rhetoric cannot exist alone, it must depend on philosophy and justice to guide its morality rhetoric practiced alone is only persuasion used for personal gain Just because you are trained to be a boxer does not give you the right to strike your friends. Trainer would be at fault if you started to use your physical strength against others for the wrong reasons. Similarly, teachers of rhetoric are responsible for how their students use rhetoric and the students cannot use it for evil just because they know how.