PHL 3305 Lecture 10

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Abuse of Language—Abuse of Power

On sophistry and communication

sophist

someone who argues for any position rather than seeking the truth

proposed "wise guys" who would sell their wisdom in order to gain power over someone by abusing language

some people at the time of Pieper were making claim that the sophists to which Plato objects were actually brilliant "free thinkers"

Sometimes very hard to detect

The case can be made that Plato recognized, identified, and battled the sophistry of his time a danger and a threat besetting the pursuits of the human mind and the life of society in any era.Pieper, Josef. Abuse of Language—Abuse of Power

Advertising as a simple example of sophistry: what is shown or mentioned may have nothing to do with product.

In Plato's Time

Gorgias from Meno

Logos - seeking consistent truth

Logoi - (plural of logos) just using words to get the better of someone

Socrates himself was accused of sophistry: corrupting the youth

Aside

Companion course: https://artsofliberty.org > Liberal Arts > Logic

Purpose of Words

Two ends:

1. Communicate truth/reality
2. Bring people together (interpersonal)

Just because an argument sounds good and well-put-together doesn't always mean that what it's trying to convey is false. Even Plato was very careful with how he constructed his dialogues.

By attempting to manipulate others, we no longer view them as even human:

• all purpose of speech breaks down:
  • We don't wish to communicate reality
  • We push people away (view them as means to get what we want)
• Flattery in most senses

Closing Statements

From Plato:

1. To perceive things as they really are
2. All men are nurtured by the truth
3. The natural habitat of truth is found in interpersonal communication (why Plato wrote in dialogues)

Start of Meno

• Socrates monologues to set the background
• Wishes to entice what virtue is from Meno, the first interlocutor introduced (and maybe the only one?)