Gorgias, Philosophical studies

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Gorgias

Introduction

Philosophical studies contend that Plato’s Gorgia is a representation of a very bitter dialogue that is characterized by uncompromising disagreement, anger and misunderstandings. Compared to other dialogues presented by the same author, it is indicted that this is the most hostile and is filled with a significant degree of tension. Of great reference however is the cutting rhetoric that is inherent in the dialogue. Plato indicates that rhetoric is at the core of human interactions. He asserts that it is intrinsic to human behavior and is ‘the source of freedom for humankind itself and at the same time is for each person the source of rule over others in one’s own city” (Plato 52). Indeed, it can not be disputed that rhetoric is an inherent characteristic of human as well as societal wellbeing. This study agrees to the fact that it is a source of freedom for both individuals and the entire society.

To begin with, Socrates challenges Gorgias to provide a distinct definition of rhetoric and provide relevant illustrations that indicate that he indeed engages in rhetoric. At this point in time, it is worth acknowledging that rhetoric explores and seeks to underscore the aspects of blame as well as praise in a bit to provide a concise definition that enables others to understand and appreciate the subject under review. Initially, Gorgias had a superficial understanding of rhetoric and only considered it to be associated with certain words that are specifically associated with art. Notably, this consistent probing by Socrates enabled him to understand and appreciate that rhetoric is an all inclusive word that denotes human freedom too.

Socrates exhibits the implications of this freedom by being happy rather than sad that he had been refuted. He posits that being refuted enables him to attain “understanding and wisdom as opposed to reputation and fame” (112). The latter is more desirable because it gives the important ‘others’ the freedom to actively participate in one’s life. In this consideration therefore, it can be ascertained that freedom improves the quality of the lives of not only individuals but also the society at large.

Thus, it can be deduced that humans are considered to be free individuals, courtesy of rhetoric. Freedom in this respect is perceived in light of the right to be wrong, rather than the right to do wrong. This freedom enables humanity to overcome various challenges that they face with ease. With it, both the guardians and prisoners exercise considerable concern and power over other individuals found in a city. Plato contends that freedom is a kind of power that is presumably employed in persuading other individuals to participate in a particular bidding. In this regard, he contends that “rhetoric is a producer of persuasion. Its whole business comes to that and that is the long and short of it” (131).

Fundamentally, persuasion is comprised of producing knowledge and instilling certain vital beliefs. It is believed that rhetoric is usually concerned with instilling vital beliefs in human lifestyles. With this, an individual has the capacity to pursue different forms of knowledge and employ the same in survival. Notably, freedom to explore this is fundamental in human survival. This is augmented by the different beliefs that do not only encourage one to engage in the search for knowledge but also encourages the same to utilize the knowledge for the improvement of the quality of human life. From this point of view, Plato ascertains that a rhetorician is responsible for “making beliefs in his auditor’s souls” (138).

In addition, Plato seeks to ascertain that various forms of poetry are a portrayal of rhetoric. This is because of the fact that the person that relays these to the audience is not the composer of the same. As such, s/he does not pass on the fundamental knowledge to the intended audience. In this respect, poetry is considered a form of flattery that seeks to please and gratify the audience rather than educate the same. In this regard, poetry is considered an art of public speaking that is rhythmic in nature. Thus when devoid of the meter and the rhythm, it plays a similar role as prose. Irrespective of this, it is still employed in education. This is an illustration of the freedom that rhetoric provides to the population. At this point, it is certain that the population has the opportunity to employ various artistic forms in passing on the information to different parties. However, it can be argued that by highlighting this, Socrates sought to underscore the fact that perception of rhetoric as an art does not effectively address all forms of knowledge that are central in the same.

Seemingly, rhetoric plays a fundamental role in enhancing the freedom of individuals and enabling the same to utilize the freedom in improvement of their lives as well as the lives of other individuals. In addition, it is certain that the art is also comprehensive and multifaceted. However, in order for it to yield optimal results in the society, it should not be employed against other individuals. A classic example of this as cited by Plato is the skills in boxing. Notably, these are instrumental in boxing as a game but can have far reaching implications on the wellbeing of the opponent if used inappropriately or outside the boxing domains. The relative freedom of rhetoric has been likened to these boxing skills. Plato ascertains that irrespective of the fact that the rhetorician teaches the students to use the skills in a just manner, there is a possibility that some may choose to misuse the same. In addition, the rhetorician is responsibility of teaching the ignorant students about the notions of justice and injustice. Likewise, the choice or decision to further either of this is depended on the students. This illustration also implies that the freedom perpetuated by rhetoric is indeed a complex notion that involves various intricate factors.

In this consideration, a rhetorician needs to assume the attributes of a competent philosopher. Considering the fact that s/he participates in enlightening the society regarding fundamental issues of justice, s/he needs to understand the dynamics of the same. In order to attain this status, one needs to make viable choices with regard to the freedom s/he is accorded. In this regard, Plato posits that the ability to make viable choices would enable the philosopher to attain vital skills in a timely manner and rise above the rest of the population.

Basically, the rhetorician is also expected to “exhibit exemplary behavior and act in a just manner” (Plato 162). This is because of the fact that s/he understands all the facets of justice. Notably, this issue has raised various controversies since historical times. These stem from the recognition that philosophers are also humans and it is therefore possible for them to be controlled by the various external powers that mold human behavior. As such, it is argued that the ability of the philosophers to uphold justice is largely depended on an individual’s personality.

Conclusion

From the analysis, it is certain that rhetoric is an important aspect that defines the wellbeing of humanity. It is a complex issue that is also characterized by freedom. Freedom is an intrinsic attribute of human behavior that determines the various activities that they engage in. The dynamism and multi faceted nature of freedom demands a considerable level of enlightenment and maturity for an individual to be able to utilize the same in a sustainable manner. This is attained through education and awareness creation. According to Plato, philosophers are the only individuals with this ability in the society.

As such, they are responsible for teaching the rest of the population important ideals. Nevertheless, freedom accords every individual an opportunity to make personal decisions and therefore, effective inculcation is highly depended on the personality of the same. More over, philosophers are expected to pursue justice in order to act as role models to the ignorant population. However, it is contended that attainment of this is also greatly influenced by an individual’s personality. It is in this consideration that this paper concludes that effective decision making that is augmented by freedom is fundamental for enhancing viable human interactions at different levels.

Work Cited

Plato. Gorgias. Oxford: University Press, 1998.