Zach Kulzer
History 101H
Mr. Dawsey
September 29, 2010
Essay 1 – Plato
Plato’s Gorgias is a dialogue in which Socrates is placed in many arguments about many different subjects against many different opponents. Both sides of the arguments are very fair, but of course Socrates’ side of them is always one step ahead of the opponent. Some arguments Socrates is placed in are how to distinguish the difference between two different forms of speaking, how escaping the punishment for wrong doing is one of the worst ideas a person could do, how those who are bravest and strongest should not rule and have more than those who are ruled.
Socrates distinguishes the “art of reasoning” from Gorgias being “oratory” in a many different ways. One example of this is when Socrates and Polus are speaking about what kind of man Gorgias. Polus gives a long answer that Socrates diminishes to Gorgias being plainly oratory. Socrates wanted a simple answer from the beginning that Polus couldn’t give to him and Socrates, being as creative as he is, narrows a long specific answer down to being just oratory. Oratory is the art of speech which is made by combining many other subjects in order to speak and relate to a mass group of people by using anecdotes. Socrates says there have never been any good men in power. Because of this, orators could not have been good considering the men in power were not good. On the other hand, art of reasoning is using non specific words in order to explain a situation to a mass gathering of people. The art of reasoning is the use of logic by distinguishing two different things by their content. In order to become an orator Socrates explains that a student must first know the difference between right and wrong. He also explains that right is knowledge and that oratory is not a talent but a skill.