Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First Philosophers11.2 Gorgias on the Art of Public SpeakingWhen Polus starts to launch into a speech, Socrates brushes him aside. He wants a conversation, not a speech. He addresses Gorgias…4h ago4h ago
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 11.1 A Declaration of WarPlato’s dialogue Gorgias begins in medias res. Socrates arrives late to a public lecture given by the famous sophist Gorgias. His disciple…5h ago5h ago
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.6. Opposition to the Socratic MovementAgainst the Socratics were arrayed three notable figures: Anytus the politician, a leader of the restored democracy; Isocrates the teacher…5d ago5d ago
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.5. Pushback: The SophistAbout the same time that Isocrates published his pamphlet Against the Sophists, another pamphlet appeared — also an advertisement for an…Aug 19Aug 19
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.4 Pushback: The EducatorIn the intellectual world of Athens, too, things were looking up. Since the death of Socrates in 399 BC, the Socratics had been flooding…Aug 16Aug 16
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First Philosophers10.3 Isolating SpartaMeanwhile in Greece, the Pax Spartica was falling apart. At the end of the Peloponnesian War, the Peloponnesian League was victorious…Aug 12Aug 12
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.2 To the Victor the SpoilsAs one might expect, at the end of the Peloponnesian War, the victorious Spartans imposed their own regimes on subject states, usually with…Aug 9Aug 9
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.1 Cyrus’ ExpeditionAt the beginning of the fourth century BC, Sparta was the dominant city of Greece. As the leader of the Peloponnesian League, she had…Aug 7Aug 7
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 9.7 Socrates’ Philosophical LegacyPlato sees himself as a product of Socrates’ education. Socrates claimed not to be a teacher or to have students. But he certainly had…Aug 5Aug 5
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 9.6 Plato’s Re-Creation of SocratesIt is an important historical and biographical fact that Plato started out writing his dialogues as part of a movement by the followers of…Aug 2Aug 2