The Unity of Plato's 'Gorgias' : Rhetoric, Justice, and the Philosophic Life

Devin Stauffer demonstrates the complex unity of Plato's Gorgias, through a careful analysis of the dialogue's three main sections, including Socrates' famous argumentative duel with Callicles, a passionate critic of justice and philosophy. He reveals how the seemingly disparate themes of rhetoric, justice, and the philosophic life are woven together into a coherent whole. Stauffer's interpretation of the Gorgias sheds new light on Plato's thought, indicating that Plato and Socrates had a more favorable view of rhetoric than is supposed, and challenges some of Socrates' most famous claims about justice. Stauffer demonstrates the complex unity of Plato's Gorgias through a careful analysis of the dialogue's three main sections. This includes Socrates'famous argumentative duel with Callicles, a passionate critic of justice and philosophy, showing how the seemingly disparate themes of rhetoric, justice and the philosophic life are woven together into a coherent whole. His interpretation of the Gorgias sheds new light on Plato's thought, showing that Plato and Socrates had a more favourable view of rhetoric than is usually supposed. Stauffer also challenges common assumptions concerning the character and purpose of some of Socrates'most famous claims about justice. Written as a close study of the Gorgias, Stauffer also treats broad questions concerning Plato's moral and political psychology and uncovers the view of the relationship between philosophy and politics that guided Plato as he wrote his dialogues. "This book brings out the complex unity of Plato's Gorgias. Through a careful analysis of the dialogue's three main sections, including Socrates' famous quarrel with Callicles, Devin Stauffer shows how the seemingly disparate themes of rhetoric, justice, and the philosophic life are woven together into a coherent whole. His interpretation of the Gorgias sheds new light on Plato's thought, showing that Plato and Socrates had a more favorable view of rhetoric than is usually supposed."--BOOK JACKET The author demonstrates the complex unity of Plato's Gorgias, through a careful analysis of the dialogue's three main sections. He reveals how the somewhat disparate themes of rhetoric, justice, and the philosophic life are woven together into a coherent whole

Demonstrates the complex unity of Plato's Gorgias', showing how seemingly disparate themes are woven together.