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1. Prologue/Introduction <447a-449a>
2. The Arguments with Self-Contradiction as the Criterion of Refutation.
2.1. Gorgias (Persuasion) <449a-461b>
2.1.1. Art and Rhetoric <449a-454b> (Defining rhetoric)
2.1.1.1. Method of Rhetoric: speech but other arts use speech
-arts and crafts are about something, so what is rhetoric about?
2.1.1.2. Subject Matter of Rhetoric:
the greatest of things in human affairs and the best <451d>
-power and persuasion
-public persuasion of the multitude
But some examples: health: doctor / beauty: trainer / wealth: moneymaker
2.1.1.3. Rhetor is a craftsman/artist of persuasion <453a>
-but this is inadequate since other arts persuade, e.g. teaching numbers, painting, etc.
-what kind of persuasion? with or without knowledge?
-concern is with belief, not right or wrong.
2.1.2. Rhetoric, Art and Justice <454b-461b>
2.1.2.1. Rhetoric does not teach justice or injustice, right or wrong <455a>
-implications:
-Themistocles and the shipyards: the power of rhetoric
-doctor and patient
-Gorgias can persuade better than a professional
2.1.2.2. Goals and Methods.
2.1.2.2.1. Gorgias: teacher not responsible for student
2.1.2.2.2. Methods and Goals of Gorgias vs. Methods and Goals of Soc. <456b-458c>
2.1.2.3. Rhetoric, knowledge and justice.
-rhetoric without knowledge persuades the ignorant <459>
-Gorgias would teach justice if a student did not know it <460a>
-Socrates: the teacher then must be responsible for the student! The rhetor must be just!
2.2. Polus (power) <461b-488b>
2.2.1. Rhetoric, art, pleasure <461b-466a>
Polus: Soc. is impolite. Gorgias just said out of modesty that he could not teach justice.
And later Soc. got him to admit he really does teach it.
Actually a sham refutation acc. to Polus.
-But note that rhetoirc was exposed for what it really is:
persuasion on any topic, especially of those people who do not know,
not of those who do know.
Soc.: Rhetoric is no craft or art at all but a knack!
(Note hint at 462d: what does Polus admire above all?) gratification!
– What does a knack do? Produces pleasure and gratification
– How? By flattery in any way whatsoever!
Examples and analogies:
Cookery…………….medicine
cosmetics…………..gymnastic
sophistic…………..legislation
rhetoric……………justice
Seeming……………..Being
Appearance…………..Reality
-Why is rhetoric not an art?
“because it is unable to render any account (logos) of the nature of the method of justice.
Seeming……………..Being
Appearance…………..Reality
-Why is rhetoric not an art?
“because it is unable to render any account (logos) of the nature of the method and the
good are NOT coextensive: In fact rhetoricians and tyrants have the least power.
They do as they think but not as they really want.
-drugs and medicines
-ends and means: intermediate and ultimate goods
ALL SEEK THE GOOD.
-intelligence is required and that is intelligence of what the human person is and
of what is truly to the benefit of the human person!
2.2.2. Justice and the benefit or good of the agent/doer <468e-481b>
2.2.2.1. Doing and Suffering Injustice <468e-474b>
(notice Polus’ attempt at trickery in the argument at 469a10)
-doing injustice is the greatest of evils
-better to suffer injustice than to do it
-what is a tyrant?
-restraint by fear of punishment <470a5>
-Hint: Is the whole of happiness merely education and
justice? <470e>
-Example of Archelaus who is most unjust and most happy,
according to Polus.
-Polus’ refutation by example of Archelaus.
-What is happiness? <471>
-Polus’ accuses Soc. of bad faith <471e>
-Soc.’s response: “the matters we are discussing are by
no means trivial; rather, they are practically
the very ones which to know is noblest and not to
know is most disgraceful: the sum and substance of
them is to recognize or fail to recognize who is
happy and who is not.” <472c-d>
-Soc.: more wretched if not punished, less wretched if pay
justice
-Polus: that’s outrageous. Example of (Job-like> tortured
man and tyrant
-No refutation by laughter or democratic vote!
-All persons would choose to suffer injustice rather than
to do it!
2.2.2.2. A New Start. <474b-476a>
Polus: worse to suffer injustice than to do it beautiful things and beauty
KEY: 474c: Soc: which is uglier (more shameful), to do or to suffer wrong?
Pol: to do wrong
[Polus is still under the sway of conventional morality]
475: uglier by surpassing in (a) pain (no) or (b) evil
475c-d: Soc: So then it is by excess of evil that doing wrong must be worse than suffering
it! It is worse, therefore more evil!
2.2.2.3. Justice, punishment and the good of the soul <476a-479e>
“whether for the wrongdoer to be punished is the greatest of evils”
-transitivity: he who punishes justly, carries out a just action on the patient
477a5: a man brought to justice suffers what is good and is benefited!
-rid soul of evil, the greatest evil!
479c-d: injustice and doing injustice is the greatest evil!
2.2.2.4. Benefits of Rhetoric <479e-481good and is benefited!
-rid soul of evil, the greatest evil!
479c-d: injustice and doing injustice is the greatest evil!
2.2.2.4. Benefits of Rhetoric <479e-481 ((Soc. calls it discordant))
2.3. Callicles (pleasure) <481b-522e>
2.3.1. Justice and Action
2.3.1.1. Justice by Nature and the rejection of conventional justice
<481b-484c>
-natural justice
-philosophy only for youth, unmanly for others
-trial of Soc.
2.3.1.2. The Active Life and the Contemplative (Philosophical) Life
<484c-486d>
2.3.2: Socrates’s Dialectical Reply to Callicles <486d-508c>
2.3.2.1. Refutation of Callicles <486b-491c>
-the many are stronger
-the more intelligent
-each should be ruler over himself
2.3.2.2. Desire, temperance and the agent’s good <491d-494a>
-full with passions
-jar with holes, sieve in our souls
2.3.2.3. Hedonism and self-indulgent life, <494a-495d>
the pleasant and the good are the same
2.3.2.4. First Argument vs. Hedonism: good does not equal pleasure
<495e-497d>
-drinking and thirst, hunger and satiety
2.3.2.5. Second Argument vs. Hedonism <497d-499b>
-coward and brave man in combat and retreat
2.3.2.6. Rejection of Hedonism and its Consequences <499b-503d>
1. For good and pleasure, rhetoric and craft/art
2. distinction between rhetorician and true political artist
<500d>
2.3.2.7. The Political Craftsman and Virtue in the Soul <503d5-508c>
-to make men better
-excellence and virtue
2.3.3. Conclusions about individual and political action <508c-522e>
2.3.3.1. The Good of Justice and Uselessness of Rhetoric <508c-515c>
2.3.3.2. Rhetoricians and Political Craftsmen: Eminent Athenians
<515c-520e>
2.3.3.3. Socrates’ Self-defence <521a-522e>
3. Conclusion: The Myth, a Rhetorical Appeal: the importance of justice for the afterlife <523a-527e>