Plato on the Rhetoric of Philosophers and Sophists

Marina McCoy explores Platos treatment of the rhetoric of philosophers andsophists through a thematic treatment of six different Platonic dialoguesincluding Apo... » 

Marina McCoy explores Platos treatment of the rhetoric of philosophers andsophists through a thematic treatment of six different Platonic dialoguesincluding Apology Protagoras Gorgias Republic Sophist and Phaedras. Sheargues that Plato presents the philosopher and the sophist as difficult todistinguish insofar as both use rhetoric as part of their arguments. Platodoes not present philosophy as rhetoricfree but rather shows that rhetoric isan integral part of philosophy. However the philosopher and the sophist aredistinguished by the philosophers love of the forms as the ultimate objects ofdesire. It is this love of the forms that informs the philosophers rhetoricwhich he uses to lead his partner to better understand his deepest desires.McCoys work is of interest to philosophers classicists and communicationsspecialists alike in its careful yet comprehensive treatment of philosophysophistry and rhetoric as portrayed through the drama of the dialogues. «