Power Politics vs. Philosophy in Plato's Grogias Part 1

Great for beginners. Discussion with Gorgias and Polus. Plato’s Ethics of the good life. Issues discussed are the nature of freedom, conformity, happiness, power and the life of the tyrant. Socrates debates 2 sophists in this first half of the dialogue about the nature of their art of rhetoric. Does it give men freedom and power over others or is it a sham that often leads to injustice? Are people who do injustice actually happier than the victims who suffer it?

0:00 Introduction
0:50 Rhetoric gives power and freedom
9:06 Rhetoric persuades the ignorant
11:41 Gorgias’ contradiction
15:33 Rhetoric as flattery
19:55 Two kinds of freedom
23:20 Tyrants are not free
27:57 Three disagreements
30:17 To do or suffer injustice
34:35 Punishment good for the soul
41:08 Criticism