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Gorgias By Socrates Rhetoric Essay

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In the tale Gorgias by Plato, Socrates debates with four colleagues on what is rhetoric. To be able to answer if rhetoric is based on nature or convention you must first ask the question, what is rhetoric? Rhetoric stated by Socrates is the skill of making speeches (448d). Gorgias states that rhetoricians have the power of persuasions (452e). Rhetoric is having the power to persuade people in changing their opinion threw the power of speeches. Socrates states that persuasion is produced from opinion, not knowledge (454b-455a). Socrates states that rhetoric is based off opinion because if persuasion was knowledge it would be true, but not all persuasion is true. If persuasion was the same thing as knowledge it would never be false because you …show more content…

Callicles states that in most cases nature and convention oppose each other, something that is shameful in nature may be okay in convention and vice sera (482e-a). Callicles states that laws are conventions made by the weak or the majority to prevent the strong from being able to take advantage of them (483b-c). This leading into natural the strong rule over the weak which is what he later calls the natural justice (483c-484a). A man that is strong will break past the conventional restraints and rule over the weak. Callicles shows that convention is made by the people while nature is the ultimate outcome or what is truly right. Callicles believes that the naturally strong can do at they wish because they are able to get away with it (484a-b). Socrates refutes these claims by saying that the stronger are the mightier and the mightiest are the many (488c-d). Meaning that the stronger are the ones that make the laws so by nature the strongest are the ones that make convention (488e). Rhetoric has the lowest power, the flattery used in rhetoric is to persuade people, this persuasion only works if most people believe it to work. Without ignorant people a rhetorician would be

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In “Re-Composing Space: Composition’s Rhetorical Geography,” Roberta Brinkley and Marissa Smith expose the how valid modern day rhetoric is by analyzing the work of professionals who specialize in the following: history, English, and human behavior. According to the authors, in ancient Greece only educated, white, non-slave, men were the only group whose opinion was considered; anyone’s opinion who did not meet that criteria did not matter. Brinkley and Smith believe that there are a lot of ideas that may have been missed due to this notion and also rings to question the credibility and the morals of the ancient Grecians. In order to convince students of rhetoric who have been taught their entire life the ‘correct’ way to make a valid argument

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Rhetoric is used in many different ways and in many different places. When using rhetoric a certain type of language is being used to persuade the audience to do something or believe in something. Martin Luther King uses many different types of rhetoric in “I have a dream” to persuade people to stand with him in fighting against discrimination of another race. Elie Wiesel uses rhetoric in “Keep Memory Alive” to persuade his audience to not be detached from the world and what is going on in it. King uses many rhetorical devices whereas Wiesel uses very few.

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Rhetoric is the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. In “A Speech in the Virginia Convention,” Patrick Henry tries to convince his fellow colonists to fight with Great Britain. Through his speech, he claims that the colonists shouldn’t be controlled by the Great Britain. According to Patrick Henry, the colonist need to fight back against Great Britain for their freedom. Patrick Henry uses appeals and rhetorical techniques to convince his fellow colonists to go to war with Great Britain.

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Another way rhetoric is defined is by George Kennedy as “The energy inherent in emotion and thought, transmitted through a system of signs, including language, to others to influence their decisions or actions.” (pg. 125) Plato’s dialogue Gorgias has one of the earliest and most influential discussions of rhetoric. He became involved in a debate that was on going and he said rhetoric was “foul and “ugly”.

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In Aristotle’s Rhetoric, Aristotle explains that “Persuasion… should be achieved by what the speaker says, not by what people think of his character before he begins to speak” (Supplement,

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Socrates contradicts Gorgias when he says “Communities shouldn’t hold trainers responsible and banish them for what a boxer does with his boxing” (Socrates 22). So Socrates questions how they would be immoral if they were taught to be moral. He uses logos to win his argument against Gorgias by having him admit to Socrates being right. Gorgias thinks a teacher cannot be accountable but then admits people who are taught morality don’t necessarily have to be moral. When a rhetorician abuses the power of rhetoric, his teacher should not be blamed because he teaches the knowledge to be used correctly.

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Not only was the 2016 Presidential election full of controversy, it was also bursting with multiple forms of rhetoric. Rhetoric was best defined by the 300 B.C. philosopher Aristotle, who stated that rhetoric is “the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion.” (Rapp, 2010) This definition has lasted through the centuries; to this day it is still one of the prominent definitions of rhetoric in America. President Donald J Trump and, runner up, Hilary Clinton both used rhetoric throughout their campaign very effectively.

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The Gorgias dialogue begins with Socrates asking if a discussion with Gorgias would be possible. Socrates makes it clear from the beginning of the dialogue that he would prefer no long display speeches to be made if Gorgias is going to participate in discussion, but asks specifically for only short answers to be given to the questions he asks. James Nichols, translator of the two dialogues argues in his Gorgias essay that “the brevity of the answers about what rhetoric is causes the first definitions to be too broad or universal or inclusive; the definition is narrowed down through Socrates' questioning and, in that sense, under his guidance.” Using this method allows Socrates to arrive at the conclusions necessary to convince Gorgias of what rhetoric is and to understand what he is

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The following statement by Gorgias, for instance, is maintained throughout the dialogue: "The rhetorician is capable of speaking against everyone else and on any subject you please in such a way that he can win over vast multitudes to anything, in a word, that he may desire." Plato, p. 16 Socrates addresses this in the discussion with Polus about happiness and proves again the injustice of rhetoricians. The men conclude together that the happiest man is without vice, "the greatest of evils," Plato p. 45, and the "…second happiest… is he who gets rid of it… And he… is the man who is rebuked and admonished and brought to justice."

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Gorgias was a famous sophist. A sophist is a class of professional teachers in ancient Greece who gave instruction in various fields, as in general instruction in various fields, as in general culture rhetoric, politics, or disputation. Sophist saw all language as persuasive intent. Gorgias believed that that truth can be created by rhetoric such as poetry. Gorgias thought that a good orator can speak on any topic and persuade the audience with the power of speech.

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I do agree with Socrates that rhetoric is mostly misused and dangerous for both the speaker and the listener. I believe rhetoric is dangerous for the speaker because that person maybe don’t understand how much power they hold over someone. It can be dangerous for the listener for the simply fact is the information they’ve been give may or may not be correct. I think past experience motivated Socrates feel this way about the usage of rhetoric. One example that Socrates proves that rhetoric is being misused is his example of the physician and I agree because this happens now in the world.

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Thrasymachus’ initial thesis is “justice is nothing other than the advantage of the stronger” (Plato 14) and later clarifies it to be “justice is, the same in all cities, the advantage of the established rule” (15). By this, Thrasymachus is saying that it is just and right for those who have more power to do things that benefit them in a positive way. Rulers of a city ultimately have more power over the people and make laws that benefit their rule. They are kind to those who follow their laws and punish those who break the laws.

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He was proving this because throughout his speech, he made it seem like the idea of knowing the truth and having real knowledge about a subject wasn’t needed in order to achieve the goal of persuasion. In Socrates’ speech he stated, “...if I say that the unexamined life is not worth living, you’ll believe me even less... you think I’ve been convicted for lack of arguments that would have persuaded you…” Socrates never specified or went into details about his beliefs that he was presenting to the court which, revealed to them that he did not know anything. He wasn’t able to strengthen his claims by providing evidence meaning his use of logos was faulty. However, Socrates’ goal was not to gather evidence to make it seem as if he was putting all his efforts in saving his life.

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Here is another piece of evidence to support my point. “Because I’m well aware that wherever I go, the young people will listen to what I say, as they do here. If I antagonize them, they’ll drive me out by persuading their elders to do so.” (Lines 142-144) In this quote, Socrates is saying that even if he approaches the young ones with his ideas and philosophies, at a certain point they will come to a dislike of him and try anything at any cost to drive him away.

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Rhetoric is an incredibly powerful tool capable of seducing even the most obdurate of people. As one of the most illustrious playwrights ever, Shakespeare was no stranger to the power of rhetoric. Rhetoric served as the fountainhead of Shakespearian allure. We watch the dramatic works of Shakespeare because we enjoy having our emotions manipulated; we enjoy the catharsis and self-reflection that accompanies a trip to the theater. Shakespeare truly was a master manipulator, but his manipulation was generally beneficial.

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