Plato vs. Sophists: Rhetoric on Trial

https://pressbooks.pub

Michella Maldonado

Plato’s Gorgias: Rhetoric on Trial 

In Gorgias, Plato states that rhetoric is a sham art, and he also claims that many authentic arts, such as cooking good food, makes one feel better. According to Plato, the true art of healing is not rhetoric but justice. Plato criticized the Sophists for various reasons, such as their use of exaggerations and taking money. The sophisticated rhetoricians sought to sway public opinion in their favor, and true justice is founded on the knowledge of the individual and the state. For example mass media, advertising, and political campaigns use persuasion to influence us. Based on Plato’s suspicion that advanced education was only available to those who could afford it; Plato regarded the training of the Sophists as a threat to the traditional aristocratic system. This conflict of values led to severe tensions in the city.