Analyzing Plato's Gorgias

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Disputes, Definitions, and Discrepancies
In the literary work Gorgias, Plato communicates a dialogue, or conversation, between Socrates and Gorgias that turns into a hostile confrontation for truth. Gorgias’s students, Polus and Callicles, are featured as well as a friend of Socrates, Chaerephon. The dispute over philosophy and rhetoric gradually unfolds after questions and questions about the techne are answered and some even contradicted. I will discuss Plato’s argument about rhetoric as he speaks through Socrates, while I critically analyze the argument and literary work as a whole. Plato carries out his own ideas about rhetoric using the character Socrates in Gorgias
Plato’s argument throughout the discussion is that the question is not being answered; the …show more content…

Socrates contends that rhetoric is just an ordinary knack rather than a learnt craft. The conversation leads to rhetoric becoming a mere knack just used for producing gratification and pleasure. This reduces rhetoric to the same practice as pastry baking. It is just flattery, instead of actually producing something. This argument makes rhetoric seem like nothing. I cannot imagine someone who would want this skill if they knew it was worthless. It is only used to please, or gratify the spectators. Gorgias rebuts saying that it is a craft that should never be practiced against just anyone. He admits that the opponent of the rhetorician should already be experienced in rhetoric before the encounter even happens. Socrates catches Gorgias in a contradiction when Gorgias said that the rhetorician could not be unjust because he is a just man that wants to do “just things”. Socrates catches him in an inconsistency. Before Gorgias explained that one can teach the just use of rhetoric, but a student can always misuse the skill. I believe Plato is trying to argue or even prove that rhetoric is naturally

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