This is a report on the book "Gorgias" by Plato

Essay by ShazamUniversity, Bachelor's October 2006

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In the book "Gorgias" by Plato the concept of ethics is discussed. Gorgias is a professor of oratory. In the book Gorgias and Socrates are having dinner with some friends. Socrates believes that proper knowledge leads to proper conduct. He also thinks that "One should avoid wrong doing with more care than being done wrong," and that wrong doers must suffer for there actions. He believes that oratory is not an art form.

Oratory is the process of speaking. Socrates compares it to cookery. He says that cookery and oratory are both aimed at immediately satisfying the consumer without an attempt at logical reasoning. He says that any moron can rise up with a voice full of sound and fury and convince others to follow him. The expert in the matter may be shy and timid but will know the proper way of doing things. The crowd of people will follow the moron and do things wrong.

Polis says that dictators speak without having real knowledge and he would trade places with any dictator. Socrates says that that would not be good because most dictators do wrong to others without having wrong done onto them. Socrates says that all wrongdoing is done out of ignorance. That is to say a man robs people because he does not understand the impact his actions have on the economy. Not to mention the general well being of his victims. Socrates believes that this information will make the would-be criminal capable of sympathy. If the thief knew what it was like to have his property taken, he would never do such a thing.

Socrates thinks that it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong. The logic he uses is that happiness comes from virtue and enlightenment. He thinks the experience...