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

Author/Contributor(s):	Stauffer, Devin ; Stauffer, Andrew
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Date:	04/09/2009
Binding:	Paperback
Condition:	NEW

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.