Plato's Gorgias has long been considered a disparaging dialogue that denounces both rhetoric and its practitioners for the immoral use of eloquence. However, numerous scholars agree that Plato's account of rhetoric is both incomplete and misleading. George Kennedy, a Platonic scholar, states that Plato was incapable of perceiving the value of rhetoric; "rather embittered by Socrates' death, he is so prejudiced that he seems to weigh the scales against rhetoric himself" (qtd. in Kastely 29). This statement implies that Plato may have allowed his antagonistic position on rhetoric to influence both the content and philosophical accuracy of the Gorgias. The philosophy of Socrates, Plato's beloved teacher, and the philosophy of Gorgias, an esteemed Leontine sophist, come into conflict and are therefore put on display in the dialogue. Unfortunately, Plato misrepresents both Gorgias the Sophist and Gorgianic rhetoric in his stigmatizing dialogue, the Gorgias. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Plato's deliberate prevarication of Gorgias and his technology is a consequence of his contempt for the sophists; furthermore this prejudice manifests itself in dialogue. Plato accused the sophists of promulgating deception, evasiveness, and the exploitation of language for monetary gain in many of his dialogues. The partial author also despised the idea that granted sophists immunity from contradiction (Rankin 161). Perhaps this is one reason for the prominent false contradiction constructed in the exchange between Socrates and Gorgias. In this case, Gorgias attempts to justify the use of rhetoric but tragically admits its social abuse. Socrates immediately turns this honorable confession into a somewhat questionable contradiction, stating that rhetoric instructors are responsible for the actions of their students (Kastely 31). Plato's intent to pervert Gorgianic rhetoric is also evident in his decision to force Gorgias into the background of the dialogue, leaving two pathetically incompetent students to defend themselves (and their mentor's philosophy) against the wiser Socrates (Kastely 33) . So, Socrates will obviously hold Gorgias responsible for his students' mistakes. Plato's first misrepresentation of Gorgian rhetoric occurs when he denies its technological status. He justifies this denial of eminence by deeming rhetoric irrational. Plato claims that only that which is founded on absolute truth, discovered dialectically, can be considered rational. Arguments that are not based on incontrovertible absolutes are mere beliefs and are therefore irrational (McComiskey 21). Gorgias unfortunately accesses this statement in the following transaction: Socrates asks: "Now, do you think that having learned and having believed, or knowledge and faith, are the same thing or different?" Gorgias replies: "I consider them different, Socrates." However, rational and irrational arguments can coexist. When questioned about the effect rhetoric has on the audience, Gorgias further distorts the philosophy of Gorgias the Sophist by declaring that his technology is only capable of generating belief (McComiskey 22). Therefore, by linking art to faith, Socrates condemned Gorgian rhetoric as irrational. In reality, Gorgias the sophist would never have given credence to a case based on rationality, since Gorgias did not believe in the existence of rational or irrational arguments. Instead, he argued that all human beliefs were "kairotic" or situation-dependent and that it would be impossible to achieve the kairos of a given circumstance by means of absolute [pure] knowledge (Platonic concept). Therefore, to interpretcarefully a rhetorical technology governed by kairos requires a "relativistic epistemology", such as that advocated by Gorgias. According to Bruce McComiskey, "Gorgias' relativistic epistemology legitimizes his claim that pure knowledge does not exist and that no logos [language] can be entirely rational" (23). Furthermore, Gorgias also considered human perception as a variable to deal with. The human faculty of discernment is inherently partial and consequently produces an inaccurate version of truth. As the originator of this philosophical approach, Gorgias argued that no human thought could be considered "rational" (24). Plato further misrepresents Gorgianic rhetoric by stating that rhetoric functions solely as flattery and is therefore not concerned with the "greater good". " Plato has Gorgias legitimize this falsification by stating that the rhetorician has the ability to persuade a "crowd" more successfully than an expert (McComiskey 25). Socrates counters that a rhetorician can only persuade the ignorant (crowd) due to their lack of knowledge Gorgias agrees, stating that in many cases the rhetorician does not possess absolute knowledge on the subject he is speaking about. By forcing Gorgias to admit that both the rational and the irrational exist, Plato also forces the sophist to accept that education translates. into knowledge (. rational belief) and persuasion results in belief (irrational belief). Socrates concludes: “Then rhetoric apparently creates beliefs that are persuasive but not informative about right and wrong” (McComiskey 26). of Socrates to condemn Gorgias and his rhetoric as irrational and corrupt, Gorgianic rhetoric advocates for the greater good. McComiskey proclaims: "I argue that Gorgianic rhetoric is concerned with the greater good, contrary to what Plato would have us believe - but not. that's how it is." it's the good of the community." Gorgias helps the community achieve its goals by employing affective and aesthetic discourse. The emotional appeals interspersed in Gorgian rhetoric are intended to evoke particular emotional responses from the community, which in turn incite them to action (28). According to James Kastely, “The public office of rhetoric is to serve the community by persuading it to take beneficial action when through ignorance or fear it is unwilling to do so.” Therefore, Gorgianic rhetoric exposes Gorgias' dedication to society and helps the audience decide on a selfish strategy (35). In addition to rejecting the idea of ​​pure knowledge in defense of his relativistic and communitarian epistemology, Gorgias the Sophist argued that absolute knowledge (a prerequisite for education) was unattainable due to the inherent defects of logos or language (McComiskey 26). Language is the product of an imperfect creator. Therefore, it is logically deduced that language by its nature is imperfect and ultimately inadequate. The messages conveyed by logos are consequently distorted versions of perceived reality. HD Rankin comments: "In formulating and pronouncing a logos we do not express the existent or reality of which the logos is intended to communicate. All we express is logos. Whatever meaning the logos may have for us has infiltrated us through our perception ... It is these perceptions that illuminate the logos rather than the logos that illuminates reality or existents" (43). Gorgias argues that even if the perfect perception of reality were humanly possible, communicating these truths through the logos would serve to contaminate. their final transmitted form. Therefore, despite Plato's attempt to misrepresent the sophist, Gorgias argues that instruction in absolute truth via logos is unachievable because Plato chose to misrepresent the epistemology of, 1983.