Introduction
One of the most relevant features of philosophy
as a subject is it isn’t really a subject
in itself. Indeed, philosophy is a school of though
that delves into, and thus tends to be comprised
of, the ideological depths of various subjects
such as sociology, ethics, politics, theology
and religion. This, moreover, is something that
is made infinitely more apparent when considering
it in light of the ideological preconceptions
of various philosophers that have come to be globally
renowned throughout the course of history. Take
into consideration, for instance, the name of
Socrates, widely credited as being the father
of philosophy.
This credit, moreover, is something that emphasized
when considering it in light of the fact that
although Socrates himself left behind no philosophical
writings; such relevant philosophers as Plato,
Euclides, Simmias, and Xenophon, wrote Socratic
dialogues portraying his teaching in literary
form… they were his students. Socrates contemplated
and spoke his thoughts upon practically all aspects
of human life in terms of the intertwining socio-cultural
and ideological norms and preconceptions that
individuals tend to inevitably exist within.
Addressing Socrates philosophical stance: Socratic
view of oratory
Among all of the topics that he addressed within
his contemplations, moreover, some of the more
renowned were love, the state and its relationship
the individual, the gods, theology and public
administration. It would, moreover, be relevant
to acknowledge that his stance on public administration
was one that was strongly influenced by his ideological
disinclination towards politics. And the relevance
of this is something that is accentuated quiet
strongly when considering it light of the typically
converse, Socratic perception in concern to the
politicians.
Socrates held that in order to be a good politician,
it is essential for the respective individual
to not only know how to rule, but to also wield
sufficient knowledge necessary to effectually
implement all skills based on public administration.
According to Socrates, a good politician is only
one who is capable of using every skill, especially
including the skill of oratory in conjunction
with the goal to lead the people to virtue and
moderation. This subsequently brings us to Socrates
stance on oratory. Before considering this, however,
it will be crucial to acknowledge that oratory,
or speaking in public with an ulterior motive,
is primarily comprised of rhetoric, which is the
art of convincingly using words with a conviction
so as to obtain a particularly desired set of
results.
The argument of Socrates on oratory as a branch
of pandering: the good
Thus speaking, we will now turn to the Socratic
stance on oratory. One of the most significant
features of this is that he, Socrates, ascribes
exceptional relevance to the notion that oratory
is a branch of pandering, or, a kind of flattery
which he compares to personal beautification such
as reflected by cosmetics and fashion. The relevance
of this, moreover, resides in the fact that Socrates’
ideology is based upon the philosophical theorization
that although personal beautification appeals
to the body, this is not what is actually good
for the body. While indulgence in cosmetics and
fashion for the sake of modifying individual appearance
tends to appeal to the mind within the typical
individual; the true key to the attaining the
body's health are gymnastics or exercise. This,
moreover, is justified in as much as the fact
that health, rather than appearance, is what is
actually good for the body.
Consequently, according to Socrates, this renders
political oratory as something that relates to
pandering in the same manner that personal beatification
relates to exercise. This tends to be clarified
when considering that Socrates reason for not
getting involved in politics was that he perceived
rhetoric, one of the most crucial oratorical skills,
as yielding the same converse relationship to
justice as fashion yields to health. In addition
to this, furthermore, he also believed that politics
must be used exclusively for the good of the people
and the state, as has already been mentioned.
The most relevant factor here, however, is that
he holds that doing what seems good without actually
knowing, is evil (Beck, 1998).
Conclusion (s): Socratic stance
on oratory in light of the pleasurable & the
good
The symbolic relevance of this is unveiled when
considering that there is no way in which orators
can specifically know if the convictions that
they are inducing the masses to accept are going
to have the [typically beneficial] results that
they promise. In fact, the prime reason that they
would appear to be making these convictions, as
per the Socratic viewpoint, is that they believe
these convictions will have certain, immediately
pleasurable results. The negativity of this, in
turn, is represented in as much as the fact that
the pleasurable and the good are not the same
thing. Power based on ability to produce convictions
which are beliefs rather than knowledge cannot
be a good thing as this will undoubtedly have
actual results that stray from the convictions.
He goes on to elaborate that politicians who find
themselves in a position that demands oratorical
interaction with the state tend to inevitably
be subject to inclinations of unfairly using their
power. This is something that is indicated to
be due to the fact that politicians are typically
represented as ‘tyrants with money and supporters
and powerful rhetoric, who can avoid being punished
for their crimes’ (Beck, 1998). Socrates
also justified this in as much as philosophizing
that just as the body tends to involuntarily desire
those indulgences that are not truly good for
it, but rather, only pleasurable; so oratory induces
politicians to make convictions that are naught
more than a branch of pandering. The reason for
this, moreover, is that pandering tends to be
infinitely more convenient and pleasurable than
addressing the actual political flaws within a
particular state. It would be conclusively apt
to consider that, speaking in the light of all
that has been said and discussed, that Socrates
stance regarding oratory is one that is justifiable
in within the context of contemporaneous political
and oratorical factors too.
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