Gorgias: Translated by Benjamin Jowett, with a New Foreword and Critical Analysis by C. Sampson (Our Culture Collection)
by Plato
"I say that the doer of injustice is more miserable than the sufferer." What is the true price of power? Set against a volatile backdrop of moral decay and political opportunism in ancient Athens, Gorgias stands as one of the most vitriolic and enduringly urgent masterpieces of the Western philosophical canon. What begins as an inquiry into the art of public speaking rapidly devolves into a fierce, high-stakes battle over the very soul of human existence. In a series of escalating clashes, Socrates squares off against the most formidable minds of his day. He boldly strips away the glamorous veneer of rhetoric to expose it for what it truly is: a manipulative "knack" for flattery, designed for personal gratification and the raw exercise of power. It pits the life of philosophy, dedicated to objective truth and justice, against the life of political ambition, dedicated to subjective persuasion and the terrifying logic that "might makes right." Written by Plato (c. 428–348 BCE) - the foundational titan of Western philosophy, disciple of Socrates, and founder of the legendary Academy - Gorgias is a chillingly prophetic mirror held up to our modern world of algorithmically optimized spin and digital demagoguery. Featuring the definitive translation by Benjamin Jowett and an insightful new foreword by C. Sampson, this edition invites you to discover why Plato’s urgent warning matters now more than ever.
Category: Philosophy. Price: $6.99.