V. 38 N. 1 (2018): Tornare alle domande degli Antichi? / Back to Ancient Questions?
Articles

The Dynasty of Logos. Gorgias’ Fight for Helen

Andrina Tonkli-Komel
Institute Nove Revije - Ljubljana

Pubblicato 2018-07-23

Parole chiave

  • Gorgias,
  • speech,
  • persuasion,
  • rhetoric,
  • thruth,
  • ...Più
    Meno

Come citare

The Dynasty of Logos. Gorgias’ Fight for Helen. (2018). Teoria. Rivista Di Filosofia, 38(1), 107-119. https://doi.org/10.4454/teoria.v38i1.34

Abstract

The article investigates the irresistable persuasive power of speech. As Gorgias stressed in his Encomium of Helen – “speech is the powerful master†(dynastes megas). It alters the mind and the persuaded cannot choose but is forced to obey. Gorgiasian “rhetoric†speech is neither music, poetic nor philosophic, it’s persuasive power comes neither from enchantment nor from revealed truth. To refute the bad reputation and to alter the traditional public opinion does not require proof, but rather the possibility of alternatives.