Quote: "Plato encouraged the view that the Sophists were concerned merely with the manipulative aspect of how humans acquire knowledge-that is, with how people could be persuaded that they had learned the truth, whether or not truth was in fact conveyed."
Question: Do you think the Sophists were manipulating people for money? Or were they truly legitimate philosophers?
I think the sophist were taking advantage of people's lack of knowledge and low education level to make themselves seem more intelligent in the eyes of their audience. I do not believe money was the objective behind the use of their rhetoric. I truly just believe that they wanted the public to view them as superior to other people based just on their speeches alone.
ReplyDeleteSophists seem to be of the mind-set that much of our understanding of life is based in objective perception. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's only if people have mal intent that we see issues arrise, and even then what is considered bad is, once again, objective. I don't believe that the Sophists were utilizing this "enlightenment" exclusively for money. Would you call a lawyer selfish for charging for their services?
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