Episode 203: Gorgias, Tell Me Something I Don't Know (with Agnes Callard)

Dec 22, 2020

Philosopher Agnes Callard joins us to talk about Plato and his dialogue the Gorgias. Why did Plato write dialogues – are they the best way of presenting arguments? Is Plato cheating when characters contradict themselves by making dumb concessions, or is this part of his method - inviting readers to participate in the debates? Why does the Gorgias end on such a sour note, with Socrates giving long speeches after saying that long speeches shouldn’t be allowed? Plus we talk about Agnes’ recent op-ed in the New York Times, and David and Tamler tackle a new construct: The Tendency for Interpersonal Victimhood.

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Links:

• Opinion | I Don’t Want You to ‘Believe’ Me. I Want You to Listen. - The New York Times
• What Is It Like to Be a Philosopher?
• Gorgias (dialogue) - Wikipedia