Political Philosophy Lies or “Rhetoric?” Socrates on Deceptive Democratic Speech (Gorgias 2)
Jan 28, 2023
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Why Gorgias Focuses On Democratic Speech
- Plato's Gorgias targets speechmaking in democracies and how politicians use it to shape outcomes.
- Socrates frames the debate as rhetoric versus dialogue, preferring conversational questioning over public display speeches.
Socrates Meets Gorgias After A Marketplace Display
- Socrates and companions encounter Gorgias after a marketplace demonstration, showing Gorgias's ability to speak anytime on any subject.
- Chiriphon introduces Gorgias and explains he's so practiced he can give speeches on demand to draw crowds.
Rhetoric Versus Dialogue As Communication Modes
- The dialogue sets up rhetoric (public display) against dialogue (Socratic questioning) as two competing communication modes.
- Socrates prefers dialogic interrogation and suspects rhetoricians evade precise answers with long speeches.