So after hours of trying to get through this text, constantly closing and opening the book, and rereading line after line, here is my blog on Gorgias by Plato.
Throwing my emotions in this, while I was reading the text, I would constantly get annoyed by Socrates and his consistent questioning towards the other characters, even after they said, “Hey look, let’s just drop this”. I don’t think I really like him. To me, Socrates seems very proud and sarcastic and although some may say otherwise, I think that he likes seeing others realize they’re wrong more than being right himself. When Callicles criticizes Socrates and his passion and profession in Philosophy, it seems as if Socrates just brushes Callicles off, unhurt, and goes on with the conversation, continuously questioning the other characters and their beliefs/morals.
I think that really good topics and debates were included in this text such as “art vs. knack”, morals, justice, etc. and that through this text the readers can find themselves grow into (or out of) an opinion they used to have through the dialogue of these characters. I feel like this text actually made me think about the questions Socrates would ask and how I would answer them.
One part that I found pretty funny was when Callicles tells Socrates that he has had enough and that Socrates should just continue the argument with himself, which, as strange as Socrates is to be made out of Plato, obliges, carrying out quite a hefty monologue of him asking himself questions and answering them himself, and telling his audience to correct him if something sounds wrong (which really would be impossible because I feel that no one would be able to interrupt Socrates successfully…that man can talk)
Sometimes I feel bad for Socrates because as annoying as he is, he is probably just trying to help other people strengthen their beliefs and sees his tactics that way…
On a less professional note (lol like the above was ever professional):
I feel like Socrates just talks SOOOOO much. If I was ever in conversation with Socrates, I’d honestly just get up and walk away. I don’t even understand how someone could be in conversation with other people like that and not be stopped in the middle of their argument because oh my gosh he is so wordy. I could never be friends with him.
Looking at everyone else’s blogs, I feel like mine is really below the bar but I really don’t know what else I would like to add to this blog so yeah.
K bye.
I completely understand getting annoyed by Socrates, and I don’t think I would really like to spend much time with him either! I mean, you’d have to constantly be on your toes and really be able to reply carefully or you’re going to get caught out in a contradiction or shown wrong in some other way. Would that be a pleasant experience? Maybe for some, but not for most, I’d guess. Still, I agree that he may have been doing this to try to improve people, to get them to see when their views are wrong and to be motivated to change those views. It’s just that perhaps a better way to do so could have been found!