To: K-list
Recieved: 1999/05/14 15:01
Subject: Re: [K-list] Sophists and Socrates
From: Domagoj Klepac
On 1999/05/14 15:01, Domagoj Klepac posted thus to the K-list:
"Amanda Erhart" <mumblecatATnospamangelfire.com> bravely stated the following:
> >If we were to have a "debate" you might well win through superior
> >logic intelligence etc but the bottom line is all you have won is the
> >debate it does not guarantee that you are right or I >wrong.
>
> Shall we debate on that ? ;)
>
> I suppose someone already did a long and learned
> debate about that in one of the debating socities
> or rhetoric clubs in ancient Greece... ;)
They did. That was the main point of dispute between Socrates and
sophists. Sophists were into logic games, saying that truth it not
important, that the important thing is to know how to turn things to
work for you - win any debate, etc. Socrates was against them, and he
teached that there is only one truth, and that it's achiavable.
In today's philosophy it's unquestionable that Socrates won that
dispute. :)
(Ehm, that's not the topic of the list, but I hope you don't mind a
small anegdote:)
In old Greece, sophists were teaching art of debate for money. So, one
day student of famous sophist tried to convince him that he didn't
really owe him any money:
- I accepted to pay to for learning me how to win any debate. So, if I
can convince you that I don't owe you any money and win that debate, I
shouldn't pay you any money because we would then agree that I don't owe
you any money. However, if I don't win the debate, then I still wouldn't
owe you any money, since you didn't teach me how to win the debate, and
therefore I don't have to pay you for something you didn't do.
But sophist tried to reassure him in following way:
- Oh, but you're totally wrong. If you do win this debate, and if we
agree that you don't owe me any money, you should still pay me the money
since it's obvious that I taught you well. However, if you don't
persuade me, you'd still have to pay me the money since I've won the
debate, and we agreed that you had to pay me the money.
Their quarrel lasted, and resulted with a fight. When they were brought
to court, judge listened to them and then got mad and billed them both.
:)
Domchi
DISCLAIMER!
Home | Archive Index | Search the archives | Subscribe
K. List FAQ | Kundalini FAQs | Signs and Symptoms | Awakening Experiences | K. list Polls | Member Essays | Meditations | List Topics | Art Gallery | Cybrary | Sitemap | Email the moderators.
symbol.