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Plato's Noble Art Of Sophistry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

G. B. Kerferd
Affiliation:
University of Manchester

Extract

Plato's Sophist begins with an attempt to arrive by division at a definition of a Sophist. In the course of the attempt six different descriptions are discussed and the results summarized at 231 c-e. A seventh and final account may be said to occupy the whole of the rest of the dialogue, including the long digression on negative statements. The first five divisions characterize with a considerable amount of satire different types of sophist, or more probably different aspects of the sophistic art. The sixth division (226 a–231 b) is very different. To quote Cornford's words, ‘satire is dropped. The tone is serious and sympathetic, towards the close it becomes eloquent’.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Classical Association 1954

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