Assignment 2: Gorgias (-Inez-)

-inez-
What first caught my attention was the unique way in which the dialogue occurred. The Socratic Method, the method of inquiry employed by Socrates, involves relentless questioning and probing, resulting in the shedding of light on certain issues of importance to the questioner. The method interested me as it powerfully revealed the prominent flaws and contradictions of the views and arguments of Gorgias, Polus and Callicles, even though their ideas, at first glance had seemed perfectly logical and viable. I found myself trying to spot the contradictions in their arguments and trying to anticipate the questions that Socrates would ask albeit rather unsuccessfully, thus I ended up merely marveling at Socrates’ skill at questioning.
This prompted me to do more research on the Socratic Method and I found that the method is still relevant today!
A bit of what I found out: Socrates’ method of questioning the views of others is called the elenchus, while the subsequent confusion, as displayed alike by Gorgias and Polus mildly and more vehemently in the case of Callicles is called aporia. This state of aporia was thought by Socrates to instill curiosity in the person proven wrong and thus put both parties on an equal standing to humbly investigate and discuss the issue. Cool! (:
The Socratic Method is even used in classes, to allow students to come to a conclusion by themselves through a series of guided questions. Also, it is remarkable how the method can also be used in psychotherapy, to establish the thoughts and background of a patient.

As Socrates quite sensibly points out, “an ignorant person is more convincing than the expert before an equally ignorant audience”, for example, in the case where a doctor and an orator are both before an uninformed audience, I think this is perhaps something that people might neglect. When making a decision or choice, people might go for the more convincingly put alternative. By providing unbiased, factual information, or even by encouraging the spirit of self-enrichment, this will perhaps allow people to make informed decisions. So perhaps, for public policies that might be likely not go down well, it would be good to give people the complete picture and let them come to their own conclusions. For example, perhaps, for assistance schemes, the needy take an active part in choosing their schemes based on their options available instead of waiting to be allocated some form of help?

Well, perhaps a lesson that can be learnt would be that whether one is a philosopher or not, it would probably be good to be aware of one’s stand, to present a consistent front. Gorgias and Polus, both found themselves trapped by their previous statements, Also, being willing to realize and admit one’s error would also be a lesson that I learnt from the book. It was slightly amusing to hear Callicles obstinately deny that he was wrong and resort to rather unkindly address Socrates, saying that a grown man studying philosophy deserves a whipping! Even if, as Callicles thought, Socrates was making “a dishonest use of it (the opposition of nature and convention) in argument, his various jibes and vulgarities would definitely make him less endearing to the audience. Gorgias on the other hand, though proven wrong, pursued Socrates’ subsequent conversations with Polus and Callicles with great interest, encouraging Callicles to continue his conversation with Socrates despites Callicles’ evident agitation. To have an open mind and to be able to admit one knows nothing would definitely be essential when one learns about philosophy!