Psychological dimensions of elenchus in the Gorgias

Autores

  • Richard D. Parry Agnes Scott College (Atlanta, Georgia- USA).

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_14_6

Palavras-chave:

elenchus, consistency, belief, moral psychology, desire, pleasure

Resumo

In this article, I argue that, in showing inconsistency of beliefs, Socratic elenchus is showing incompatibility of the desires those beliefs express.  This thesis explains Socrates’ claim that, in refuting Callicles, he is also restraining his desires.  The beliefs in question are about the best kind of life to lead; such beliefs express the second order desire to lead a life in which certain sorts of first order desires are satisfied.  Socrates’ elenchus shows that Callicles is caught between two incompatible second order desires: a desire to lead of life of enormous pleasure and a desire to lead a life in which his love of honor is satisfied.  Socrates does not succeed with Callicles because the way out of this dilemma depends on a type of desire not found in the moral psychology of the Gorgias, i.e., a desire whose satisfaction is pleasure unmixed with pain, described in Republic 583c-585e and Philebus 50e-52b.

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Referências

BRICKHOUSE, T. C.;SMITH, N. D. (1991).Socrates Elenctic Mission.Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, Oxford, v. 9.CARONE, G. R. (2004). Calculating Machines or Leaky Jars? The Moral Psychology of Plato’s Gorgias. Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, Oxford, v.26.COOPER, J. M.ed. (1997).PlatoComplete Works, Indianapolis, Hackett.FUTTER, D.B. (2009). Shame as a Tool in Persuasion in Plato’s Gorgias.The Journal of the History of Philosophy,47.KAHN, C. (1983). Drama and Dialectic in Plato’s Gorgias.Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, Oxford, v.1.MOSS, J. (2005).Shame, Pleasure, and the Divided Soul.Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, Oxford, v. 29.PARRY, R. (1996). Plato’s Craft of Justice. Albany, State University of New York Press.VLASTOS, G. (1991). Socrates, Ironist and Moral Philosopher. Ithaca, Cornell University Press.WOOLF, R. (2000). Callicles and Socrates: Psychic (Dis)Harmony in the Gorgias. Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, Oxford, v. 18

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Publicado

2025-11-26

Como Citar

Parry, R. D. (2025). Psychological dimensions of elenchus in the Gorgias . Revista Archai, (14), 65. https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_14_6