Plato`s Dialect

In Phaedrus , Plato presents some of his more powerful arguments against writing . Most specifically , writing cannot convey individual comprehension to the audience . In other words , a book cannot answer someone who has further questions about what he or she has been reading Plato says that oration is better because the orator can answer back directly any questions the audience might have . One can see Plato 's point in this belief . An author 's words can be easily misconstrued and the original meanings lost this is a fact that can be witnessed everyday

. How often do our own words get misconstrued in our day to day interactions with other people ? In Phaedrus , Socrates says of the ambiguity of writing "[T]hose who think they can leave written instructions for an art , as well as those who accept them , thinking that writing can yield results that are clear or certain must be quite napve (275c . Perhaps this is the reason that Plato chose to write in his dialogical format however , his mastery of language and rhetorical devices still shines through in each of his works . Plato obviously has strong doubts that writing could help us achieve knowledge in any way

Socrates taught philosophy in a question answer dialogue and this was adapted by Plato . The dialectic art of arriving at the truth was the system Socrates used . In this regard he would arrive at the truth by questioning the belief of engaged speakers in a philosophic circle Although this idea of philosophy may come across as non-confrontational Socrates used this method to verbally jab at the speaker until they themselves found fault in their philosophy , and through a system of negative or positive responses came to recognize the truth . This type of philosophy has been likened to a cross examination present in today 's court rooms , where the person under oath is asked a series of questions that are both destructive and humiliating , until they are forced to acknowledge the truth , much like the arguments around Socrates . The aim of such confrontational questioning was always about truth Plato believed that this was the main goal of philosophy , and philosophical discussions , and he believed that everyone involved with the account was in pursuit of this goal as well

Plato 's problem lies in the fact that he tries to be a philosopher who communicates through the average man 's means , art and language , while at the same time railing that neither art nor language represents reality Plato is miles ahead of his peers in terms of intellect , and the only way he can relay his theories is through the common man 's language . To express his philosophy to the common man through language and art , while maintaining throughout his work the idea that language cannot represent reality , is truly contradictory . Plato 's texts are a work of art in themselves . The dialogue , the rhetorical devices , and the play on words required much thought and work on his part , yet it seems that Plato never...