A ambiguidade do discurso retórico: caminhos e descaminhos da persuasão (Peithó) como instrumento para a filosofia no Górgias, de Platão

Abstract

This essay presents a study about the Gorgiasdialogue, by Plato, expounding that this piece is a reflection on the Platonic criticism to sophist Rhetoric, developing the idea that it is empeiria, producer of flattery (κολακεςηική). We find ambiguous elements that show that despite criticizing persuasion (πειθώ), Socrates recognizes it as an essential requisite to conduct the elenchos (ελενκορ). In the dialogue, Socrates sees himself before three interlocutors, Gorgias, Polo and Callicles. The latter being his one chief tormentor. We acknowledge the dialogue in its historical-cultural context, since Rhetoric and its element of persuasion were Greek culture's constitutive inputs. We consider that Plato's intent is to rethink the sophists rhetorical and persuasive elements in order to expose the "true rhetoric", that it, Philosophy. For this, Plato makes an analysis of the persuasive rhetoric, placing before his master an exponent of the sophistry, Gorgias; and seeks to unveil its art (ηέσνη). However, although we can recognize in it the necessary elements, the dialogue ends without a dialogue, since there is no persuasion on either sides. We consider that all these points will be relevant to understand persuasion (πειθώ) as one of the basic elements of Greek orality and Platonic dialectics.