Golden, James Plato Essays on Classical Rhetoric

Golden, James L. “Plato Revisited: A Theory of Discourse for all Seasons” Connors, Robert J., Ede, Lisa, S., and Lunsford, Andrea A. Eds. Essays on Classical Rhetoricand Modern Discourse. Southern Illinois UP: Carbondale. 1984.

“Plato, first of all, was a highly significant thinker who recognized the centrality of discourse in its myriad forms, not only in the doing of philosophy but in the conducting of human affairs” (17). =B

“When examining Plato’s commitment to the value of discourse, it is incumbent on us to appreciate the broad scope which his theory of rhetoric entails. Rhetoric, he held, embraces any form of discourse designed to win the soul” (18). =B & A.

“It is evident, therefore, that Plato, like Kenneth Burke and Chaim Perelman in the modern era, saw the need to place the interpersonal communication pattern within the sphere of rhetoric” (18). =B

“Further proof of Plato’s willingness to regard public communication, despite its partiality for an uninterrupted flow of discourse, as a legitimate and vital part of rhetoric, is his occasional practice of constructing orations as integral parts of his dialogues” (18). =B

“A second important aaspect of Plato’s theory of discourse is an abiding belief in the premise that a major function of rhetoric is to generate, create, and discover knowledge” (19). =B & A

“. . .Plato was committed to an argument centered theory of rhetoric” (21). =B

“Plato carefully demonstrates the need for a communicator to display courage in articulating his arguments and convictions” (22). =B & A

“Plato viewed widom as an ultimate goal in life” (23). =B

“He further held that the person who achieves knowledge or wisdom experiences the true meaning of what it is to be good; and it is he alone who rids himself of false opinions, becomes an expert in a chosen field, enjoys full happiness, and comes into the presence of the gods” (23).=B & A.

“Plato, as noted earlier, had a world view that gave primacy to reason as the principle motivating force to help us grasp the meaning of ideal forms” (24). =B

Is this where rhetoric began its journey into reason and away from emotion?

“Plato, despite disclaimers to the contrary in portions of ‘Gorgias,’ was fully devoted to the idea of rhetoric as action” (24). = B & A.

“Of all the emotions, the one which receives the greatest attention from Plato is love---“ (25). =B

“Plato found his rationale for supporting a form of persuasion that was moral/philosophical in nature. Persuasion, he came to believe, was necessary for the successful leadership of the state” (25.

“The single most useful and effective communication method is the dialogue form which Plato invented and called dialectic. Dialectic as described by Plato ‘is the copingstone of the sciences’—a science which is set above all other sciences” (30). =B & A & M

1.“Dialectic when practiced in a proper manner adheres to a clearly organized pattern which moves in a chronological sequence beginning with a definition of terms and ending with a vision of the ideal as seen in universals” (30). =B & M.

2.“Division and integration or unification, consisting of analysis and synthesis, is a second step in the dialectical process” (30).

3.“the interlocutor proceeds to the their step which includes refutation and cross-examination” =B

4.”Following the refutation and cross-examination, a fourth and final step is instituted consisting of a modification of the original position” (31). =B

“Even more remarkable, I feel, is Plato’s relevance for contemporary students of rhetoric. His conviction that human discourse is central to man’s existence; that rhetoric at its highest seeks to create knowledge, promote values, and produce action; and that dialectic, with its reliance on argument, represents the ideal rhetorical method place him squarely in the tradition of modern thought” (35). = B & A.

“Plato’s strong preference for an ethics-centered theory of discourse gave to his ideas a permanent relevance” (36). =B

“the rhetorical teachings of Plato, while emphasizing the various forms of communication, highlight inan impressive way the potential influence of dialectic as an innovative and powerful instructional device” =B