Origin of Sophism
 

Early Philosophers	Sophists
Philosophy of nature	Philosophy of man and civilization
Speculation and deductive	Experience and induction
Finding truth	Teaching the art and control of life

Activities of Sophists

Education of the young

• Old curriculum: Three Rs; Phys. Ed.; poetry, music
• Old training: connection w/ statesmen, participation in public life
• Inadequate for the developing democracy
• Formal courses of instruction or lectures
• Chief subject: rhetoric

• Lectures on popular science: in homes, in public, at festivals
• Oratory for display
• Panhellenism

Terminology

• Gradual negative connotation ? sophistry
• Sophistes: Solon, Protagoras, Socrates, Plato
• Philosophos gained technical sense after Plato
• Respected men: ambassadors and literary figures

• Traveling teachers who instructed the young for payment
• Anthropologists and teachers in the art of life
• Different views on common issues
• A profession, not a school

• Born in Abdera in Thrace
• Came to Athens mid-5th c. BC; friend of Pericles
• Most brilliant and celebrated sophist
• Died in high repute (Meno) or died escaping blasphemy indictment
• Relativism

• Individualism vs. relativism
• Skepticism regarding the gods

 "With regard to the gods, I cannot feel sure either that they are or that they are not, nor what they are like in figure; for there are many things that hinder sure knowledge, the obscurity of the subject and the shortness of life." (Fr. 4)
 

• Education: "Education needs natural gifts and practice"
• Rhetoric: two opposite ideas possible for every topic
• Teaching students to "make the weaker argument (the) stronger"
• Linguistics: founded the Greek science of grammar

Hippias of Elis

• Polymath: acquainted with math, astronomy, music, grammar & rhetoric, myth & literature, history
• History: compiled list of Olympic victors
• Ethics: "self-satisfaction" as ethical end
• Rhetoric: perfected mnemonic system
• Natural law: "Convention (nomos), that tyrant of humanity, often violates nature by compulsion" (Protag. 337d2-3)

 Gorgias of Leontini (483-375BC)

• Studied natural philosophy
• Argued nothing exists
• Devoted himself to rhetoric
• Came to Athens in 427BC as an ambassador
• Studied practical psychology: justifiable deceit, art of persuasion
• ‘Gorgianic figures’: antithesis, isocolon, parison, homoioteleuton

"Servants of the undeservedly unfortunate, punishers of the undeservedly fortunate; advantageously of bold intent, in fit season ready to relent; by the minds’ prudence overcoming valour’s rudeness; contrary against the contrary, gentle to the gentle, fearless against the fearless, dread in the hour of dread." Epitaphios (fr. 6 Diels)
 

• Natural law: Might is Right vs. All Created Equal

Importance of Sophists

Why were the Sophists controversial?

• Criticized by traditionalists and Philosophers
• Skepticism and relativism
• Opposition of nomos and physis
• Teachability of virtue
• Collection of fees
• Misuse of rhetoric
• Popular with the young

What did the Sophists contribute?

• Influence evidenced in literature
• Promotion of Panhellenism
• Foundation of artistic Attic prose
• Foundation of systematic education
• Focus on man as an intellectual, moral, and social being