Application essay for George Washington University

Plato's (and Socrates') Criticism of Rhetoric in "Gorgias"

In Plato's philosophical work entitled "Gorgias," the philosopher's criticism of the method of rhetoric as a form of persuasion is the primary focus of Plato's written work. In the said philosophical and ethical discourse, Plato uses the character of Socrates as the 'voice' or transmitter of the message that Plato wants to extend to his readers/audience. "Gorgias" is a philosophical discourse in that I explore the truth and falsity of how effective and fraudulent the process of rhetoric can be in discovering the truth and living life righteously and in the proper way of living that Plato (or Socrates) refers to as "proper existence." There is much evidence wherein Plato illustrated his disagreement with the rhetorical methods of persuasion, although he categorized his disagreements with various issues wherein rhetorical methods are usually used: in the realm of education, politics, and moral philosophy. All of these realms illustrate how rhetorical form of persuasion is a fraudulent form of persuasion, because it aims to incite "pleasure in order to create the impression of good" and by saying that contrary to Gorgias' claim that the rhetorical method is the "science of words," Socrates (in effect, Plato) pointed out that rhetoric does not aim for truth nor virtue, two vital factors that Plato asserts as the essential needs of the individual in order to achieve "roper existence" and a righteous life, which can be obtained through a disciplined and healthy body and a "positive temperance" of the soul.

These important ideas are the issues about rhetoric method that Plato criticized. In so doing, Plato also illustrated through the character of Socrates what are the desirable qualities that an individual should undertake and have in order to achieve the ultimate end of man's existence -- the achievement of "proper existence." Plato's criticism of the rhetorical method is a legitimate undertaking, and he illustrated these arguments in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Gorgias, as well as the other characters in the philosophical work of Plato. As was stated earlier, Plato applied in his philosophical work the realms wherein the rhetorical method is used: education and politics (legal aspects o political governance). In the realm of education, Socrates, as Plato's representative in "Gorgias," stated that the teacher-student relationship is a good example of how the rhetorical method (and, in effect, the persuasion of false belief and knowledge) is utilized. Socrates pointed out that he teacher or mentor's teaching methods and discussion of a particular topic or subject is a similar form of the rhetorical method, since the teacher aims to persuade the student to believe him (the teacher) and the topic he discusses as he teaches the student. The student is possibly persuaded, depending on the teacher's persuasive skills. However, there is no guarantee that the subject matter that he teacher teaches to the student can be guaranteed as the truth and true knowledge that the student can treat as invaluable. Thus, because there is no guarantee of the truth or falsehood of the teacher's teachings, the student may possibly acquire knowledge that can be considered as 'doubtful,' therefore, false knowledge and belief about an issue/subject. Thus, rough this example, Plato was able to illustrate how a respected institution such as the educational and academic institutions is susceptible to the faulty objectives and methods of the rhetorical method.