The Power of Philosophy: On the Role of δύναμις in Plato’s Gorgias
This article focuses on the concept of δύναμις (‘power, capacity’) in Plato’s Gorgias and highlights its contribution to the author’s argumentative strategy. While previous studies have explored aspects of δύναμις in the dialogue, its role in developing the contrast between Rhetoric and Philosophy h...
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2023 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad de Navarra |
| Repositorio: | Dadun. Depósito Académico Digital de la Universidad de Navarra |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dadun.unav.edu:10171/112863 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10171/112863 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Power HUMANITIES and RELIGION::Aesthetic subjects::Rhetoric Philosophy Socratic dialectics The Gorgias Plato |
| Sumario: | This article focuses on the concept of δύναμις (‘power, capacity’) in Plato’s Gorgias and highlights its contribution to the author’s argumentative strategy. While previous studies have explored aspects of δύναμις in the dialogue, its role in developing the contrast between Rhetoric and Philosophy has been largely overlooked. The author argues for the centrality of δύναμις in the Gorgias by analysing Socrates’ understanding of the nature of Rhetoric as well as his critique of the practical value of rhetorical power. The paper is divided into five sections. The first section examines the significance of δύναμις in Gorgias’ refutation, which initiates the central controversy between two modes of power in communal speech. The second section analyzes Socrates’ understanding of the δύναμις of Rhetoric, focusing on the psychological effects of rhetorical power. Sections three and four explore Socrates’ critique of the practical value of Rhetoric through his discussions with Polus and Callicles, respectively. The final section argues that Socratic dialectics are portrayed throughout the dialogue as embodying a superior form of δύναμις. |
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