What does Phaedrus say about rhetoric?
The common assumption about rhetoric, Phaedrus tells Socrates, is that orators do not need to know the truth about the case they are pleading, but aim only to persuade their listeners.
What is the thesis of Phaedrus?
The specific unfolding of this situation involves a speech that Phaedrus has heard from the sophist Lysias. In this speech Lysias puts forth the thesis that it is in the self-interest of the beloved to grant favors only to a non-lover.
Who is Lysias in Phaedrus?
Lysias was one of the three sons of Cephalus, the patriarch whose home is the setting for Plato’s Republic. Lysias was perhaps the most famous logographos (λογογράφος, lit. “argument writer”) in Athens during the time of Plato.
Why is the Phaedrus important?
Plato’s Phaedrus is a rich and enigmatic text that treats a range of important philosophical issues, including metaphysics, the philosophy of love, and the relation of language to reality, especially in regard to the practices of rhetoric and writing.
What is logos and pathos?
Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments. Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.
What does Socrates say about rhetoric?
In the first (463a6-465e1) Socrates describes rhetoric as a pseudo-art: a mere knack based on experience (ἐμπειρία) with no real knowledge of its subject-matter; it is a branch of “flattery” (κολακεία) of the same status as cookery and cosmetics.
What does the title Phaedrus refer to?
Phaedrus, whose name translates to “bright” or “radiant”, was born to a wealthy family sometime in the mid-5th century BC, and was the first cousin of Plato’s stepbrother Demos. All sources remember him as an especially attractive young man.
Was Lysias a Metic?
Lysias (c. 445-c. 380 BC) was an Athenian metic- a formal resident of Athens but not a full Athenian citizen.
Was Lysias a supporter of the Thirty Tyrants?
Lysias,an allegedly disabled man, defends himself against accusations of not being eligible for a pension before the Council (Boule). A man defends himself against a charge of treason; he is accused of being a supporter of the Thirty Tyrants.
What is logos rhetoric?
Logos is a rhetorical or persuasive appeal to the audience’s logic and rationality. Examples of logos can be found in argumentative writing and persuasive arguments, in addition to literature and poetry.