Gorgias

E38295

Gorgias is a Socratic dialogue by Plato that examines the nature of rhetoric, justice, and the good life through a debate between Socrates and the sophist Gorgias.

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Protagoras 1

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Platonic dialogue
Socratic dialogue
author Plato
centralQuestion Is it worse to suffer injustice or to commit it?
Is rhetoric a true art or a mere knack?
What constitutes a good and just life?
What is rhetoric?
dialogueForm dramatic dialogue
featuresDebateBetween Socrates and Callicles
Socrates and Gorgias
Socrates and Polus
focusesOn contrast between pleasure and the good
critique of sophistry
distinction between rhetoric and philosophy
nature of persuasion
relationship between power and justice
genre philosophical literature
historicalPeriod Classical Greece
influenced Western philosophy
ethics
political thought
rhetorical theory
language Ancient Greek
mainCharacter Callicles
Gorgias
surface form: Gorgias of Leontini

Polus
Socrates
namedAfter Gorgias
surface form: Gorgias of Leontini
partOf Platonic corpus
philosophicalTheme ethics
justice
knowledge
moral responsibility
pleasure
political philosophy
power
punishment
rhetoric
the good life
virtue
positionOfCallicles justice is the advantage of the stronger
the good life is a life of unrestricted pleasure and power
positionOfSocratesOnGoodLife the good life is a disciplined and just life
positionOfSocratesOnJustice it is worse to do injustice than to suffer it
positionOfSocratesOnPunishment punishment is a cure for the soul
positionOfSocratesOnRhetoric rhetoric is a form of flattery
rhetoric is not a true art but a knack
setting Athens

Referenced by (10)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Plato notableWork Gorgias
Plato notableWork Gorgias
this entity surface form: Protagoras
Meno relatedWork Gorgias
subject surface form: Euthydemus
Phaedrus relatedWorkByAuthor Gorgias
Antisthenes studentOf Gorgias