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SORITES, ISSN 1135-1349

Issue #13 -- October 2001. Pp. 80-89

Copyrigt ! by SO"I$S %&' (ic%e) *%+%ou+%s

Gorgias the Sophist on Not Being: A Wittgensteinian InterpretationMichael Bakaoukas

Prooc%tie %poriss o te ost &ot%b)e it ce&tury Sopist, /orgi%s, suc %s

Noti&g %ctu%))y eists or is re%)ist te&et t%t it is &ot speec )ogos t%t seres to

ree%) te eter&%) obect, but te eter&%) obect t%t proes to be ep)%&%tory o

speec 67 82* 85 %e bee& subect to e&')ess cyc)es o i&terpret%tio&. I 'o &ot

propose to oer ere % u)) %&%)ysis o /orgi%s tougt, but r%ter soe &e

suggestio&s %s to o to i&terpret /orgi%s o& te b%sis o o sco)%rs %e i&terprete'

/orgi%s.

:&terstei&er 1954; 1*u, 1941; 403 ?. @o))oi&g te retoric%) %ppro%c, rese%rcers

i& speec cou&ic%tio& %&' retoric %ttept to %ttribute to /orgi%s %& episteo)ogy

%&' % ge&ui&e pi)osopy o retoric /ro&bec+, 19A2; 3< -- $&g&e)), 19A3 -- $&os,

19A< -- C%sc%r'i, 1983 -- B%)ters, 1994.

=ccor'i&g to te seco&' %ppro%c, /orgi%s is ust % &ii)ist or % &eg%tie 'og%tic

or % oreru&&er o scepticis %tt%c+i&g te 'octri&es o te $)e%tics %&' te Presocr%tics

o&to)ogic%) %ppro%c. ere %re %&y i&terpreters o o)' t%t /orgi%s is %tt%c+i&g

te o&to)ogic%) 'octri&es o te Presocr%tics; /rote 18sc. ic is &ot te

c%se? Metaph. 7 10


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Palamedest%t e sou)' &ot be)iee tose peop)e o co&tr%'ict tese)es Pal.25.

Obious)y, te u%rre))i&g pi)osopers %t issue i& /orgi%s tie %re te =toists

%&' te $)e%tics. =s %r %s e c%& te)) ro /orgi%s tre%tise On What is Not, te

/orgi%&ic %rgue&ts %&' cou&ter %rgue&ts reer to te $)e%tics o %' e&g%ge' i& %co&troersy it te =toists %bout bei&g %&' &o&-bei&g or kenon.

I& te tir' %ppro%c ic %ttributes to /orgi%s %& i&teresti&g pi)osopic

positio&, /orgi%s is serious)y i&tereste' i& te prob)es o pre'ic%tio& %&' e%&i&g

pi)osopic%) %ppro%c >7erer', (oure)%tos, etc.?. =ccor'i&g to 7erer', tere is

&oti&g i& te tre%tise sc. o /orgi%s ic igt &ot %e bee& epresse' by /orgi%s

i& te it ce&tury %&' tere te %tter is per%ps best )et >5? ... tere %e i&'ee'

bee& tose o %e tre%te' te or+ serious)y. *ut its i&terpret%tio& u&'oubte')y

prese&ts uite etr%or'i&%ry 'iicu)ties, %&' tose o %e tre%te' it serious)y %e

%rrie' %t ery 'iere&t ies %s to %t /orgi%s is s%yi&g >3? 7erer', 1955; 3, 5.

So, %t is &ee'e', I be)iee, %t te prese&t st%ge o /orgi%&ic sco)%rsip is %

programme o 'iscussio& %&' rese%rc ... -- tis is to i'e&tiy cert%i& bro%' pi)osopic

e%tures i& /orgi%s tougt i& or'er to proi'e % +i&' o pi)osopic s+etc-%p

7erer', 1981>b?; 322-3.

@or (oure)%tos te presocr%tic r%ge&t%ry tets e&cour%ge te stu'y o

coe&t%ries %&' i&terpret%tio&s, t%t is to s%y te stu'y o seco&'%ry )iter%ture. eorigi&%) or+s %re )ost, so o&e sou)' see+ to coe to ters it %)ter&%tie ies

%)re%'y o& recor' (oure)%tos, 1993; 1. is goes or /orgi%s p%r%pr%se',

r%ge&t%ry tets %s e)), i.e. Setus sceptic%) p%r%pr%se o /orgi%s tre%tise On What

is Not 2&' ce&t. =6 >ere%ter 67 *30? %&' te pseu'o-=ristote)i%& p%r%pr%se o

/orgi%s On What is not De Melisso Xenophane Gorgia 2&'ce&t. *C >ere%ter (J/

@o))oi&g te tir' %ppro%c, /rote 18


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&oue&%) is oreig& to %)) %&cie&t tougt beore P)%to c. :&terstei&er, 1954; 1


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I& H%ys or's 1990; 33or? logosc%&&ot ur&is, co&stitute, or represe&t te

eter&%) re%)ity to te eect t%t cou&ic%tio& is u&'ercut (oure)%tos, 198A; 138.

/orgi%s st%tes i&cou&ic%bi)ity %s o))os; Ths #...$ since the e%istent s&sists

e%ternall', it will not &ecome or speech( and not &eing speech it will not &e made clear

to another person 67 *3 84.


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*ut 'oes /orgi%s %ctu%))y u&'ercut i&te))ige&t erb%) cou&ic%tio&M is is &ot

%ctu%))y te c%se, si&ce or (oure)%tos i bot spe%+er %&' )iste&er %e see& or e%r',

%s te c%se %y be, te ti&g to ic te spe%+ers or's reer cou&ic%tio& sou)'

be perect)y possib)e %ter %)) (oure)%tos, 198A; 139-140. @or 7erer' %s e)), succou&ic%tio& is ipossib)e nless the listener has himself seen the visi&le o&)ect, >so

t%t? o&e %& c%& )e%r& ro %&oter 7erer', 1981b; 324.

Hoeer, %s /orgi%s put it, and the speaker speaks, &t he does not speak a color

or a thing. *n'thing, then, which a man has not in his own consciosness, how can he

ac+ire it from the word from another, or &' an' sign which is different from the thing

e%cept &' seeing it if it is a color, or hearing it if it is a sond (J/ 980 b2-8 tr.

Hett. /orgi%s ereit %tt%c+s % reere&ti%) teory o e%&i&g %ccor'i&g to ic i

or's %re to %e e%&i&g, tey ust reer to ti&gs i& te re%) %t )e%st etr%-)i&guistic

%&' per%ps %)so etr%e&t%) or)' (oure)%tos, 198A; 151. He s%ys b)u&t)y t%t

te spe%+er spe%+s &ot % co)our &or % sou&', &or %&y oter ti&gL e spe%+s logos

cobi&i&g )i&es 980b2-3 %&' b


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se&s%tio& i)e e&u&ci%ti&g KS % or' 'oes &ot bri&g it %bout t%t I i)) reeber

t%t KS e%&s S, u&)ess co&ce&tr%ti&g o& S i)) tr%&sor te >erb%)? sou&' KS i&to te

epressio& o % co&cept. I it 'oes &ot, te& subseue&t e&u&ci%tio&s o KS i)) be epty

&oises, K%teer is goi&g to see rigt to e is rigt Phil. -nv.258, or &o st%&'%r'%s bee& est%b)ise' by reere&ce to ic te subseue&t use o KS c%& be e%)u%te' %s

correct or i&correct H%c+er, 19A2; 223-4.

%t is to s%y, se&s%tio&s %s suc %re e%&i&g)ess. Co&seue&t)y, i or's %cuire'

teir e%&i&g by teir %ssoci%tio& to se&s%tio&s, e ou)' be i& % st%te o

i&cou&ic%bi)ity %&' e%&i&g)ess&ess i& ic, %ccor'i&g to /orgi%s; $e& i

%&yti&g is %ppree&sib)e, yet o % surety it is i&epressib)e %&' i&cou&ic%b)e to

o&es &eigbour 67 *3


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ou)' be to 'iere&t ti&gs (J/ 980b12-13. ereore, %t c%&ges %ppe%r%&ces

sou)' &ot be te obect itse), but te se&sib)e ti&gs aistheta, ic %ry ro %&

to %&. Se&sib)e ti&gs %re %s %&y %s te percipie&ts, tey %re subectie, pri%te to

teir o&ers, u&obsere' by oters, %&' co&seue&t)y tey c%&&ot be i'e&tiie' it teu&iue ti&g. I& co&seue&ce, our subectie se&se-eperie&ces o % si&g)e ti&g %&' te

ti&g itse) %re reg%r'e' %s to sep%r%te ites *%+%ou+%s, 2001.

o i&terpret tis p%ss%ge (oure)%tos %'opts % pe&oe&o)ogic%) re%'i&g. He uses te

%rgue&t ro perceptu%) i'e&tity. @or (oure)%tos, te Ko&e %&' te Ks%e ic

c%&&ot becoe Kto %&' K'iere&t is &ot %& eter&%) tir' ti&gL it is sip)y te

perceptio& or eperie&ce or tougt (oure)%tos, 198A; 143. So /orgi%s oru)%tes

%& episteo)ogic%) puDD)e; ee& e sou)' %))o t%t te s%e eter&%) ti&g sou)'

soeo %)so &e Ki& to +&oi&g subects, it &ee' &ot appear te s%e to te,

bec%use te to subects %re 'iere&t)y co&stitute' %&' 'iere&t)y p)%ce' (oure)%tos,

198A; 143.

So te uestio& r%ise' by /orgi%s is o c%& to i&'s %e te s%e perceptio&M

or is perceptu%) i'e&tity or s%e&ess possib)eM =ccor'i&g to (oure)%tos, to so)e tis

puDD)e /orgi%s uses % et%pysic%) 'eice. He s%ys t%t to 'iere&t subects 'o &ot

%e te s%e perceptio&s tauton but sii)%r o&es homoion. He substitutes sii)%r

homoion or &ueric%))y te s%e tauton. So, %s (oure)%tos put it, %&' si&cesii)%rity %'its o 'egrees ... perceptio&s %y &ot be e%ct)y sii)%r, %ter %))

(oure)%tos, 198A; 144. So, or (oure)%tos, i e %ssue t%t e%&i&g is e&t%) or

se&sory i%ge, tere ou)' %)%ys be 'oubts %s to eter % gie& or' %s te s%e

e%&i&g e& use' by 'iere&t spe%+ers, or e& use' by te s%e spe%+er %t 'iere&t

ties (oure)%tos, 198A;154. is pe&oe&o)ogic%) re%'i&g is ustiie' by 7erer's

ie t%t %t co&cer&s /orgi%s is te st%tus o obects o perceptio& ... it pri%ry

reere&ce to pe&oe&%) obects 7erer', 1955; 5, 24.

@or (oure)%tos, /orgi%s %s 'e&ie' te propositio& t%t )%&gu%ge %s te u&ctio&

o Kreprese&ti&g or Keibiti&g, or Ksetti&g ort parastatikos soeti&g t%t is

etr%-)i&guistic irst %) o te co&c)u'i&g st%tee&t i& sectio& 67 *3 85

(oure)%tos, 198A; 1


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So, %ccor'i&g to (oure)%tos, /orgi%s espouses % be%iour%) co&ceptio& o e%&i&g.

/orgi%s be)iees t%t % or' %s eect o& oter spe%+ers o te )%&gu%ge. @or e%p)e,

e s%ys; i& respo&se to te %ppy %&' u&%ppy occurre&ces %ecti&g ti&gs %&' bo'ies,

te sou) coes itse) to eperie&ce % cert%i& eotio&, troug logos "elen 9, tr.(oure)%tos, 198A; 15


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ipriso&e' i& te co&str%i&ts ipose' by te se%rc or % reere&ti%) teory o e%&i&gL

... i& 'e%u)t o %&y oter possib)e obects o reere&ce or or's >P)%to? e&'e' up by

proposi&g res e&tities, te P)%to&ic @ors. No suc so)utio& %s %%i)%b)e to /orgi%s.

e urtest t%t e %s %b)e to go %s to suppose t%t it is tougts i& our i&'s icu&ctio& %s obects o reere&ce 7erer', 1981 b; 325-


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C%)ogero, /. 19AA, 1932, !tdi sl 3leatismo, @)ore&ce, 19AA 1st e'itio& "o%,

1932.

C%sc%r'i, =.E. 1983, e P)%ce o F%&gu%ge i& Pi)osopyL or te :se o "etoric,

Philosoph' and 1hetoricJI 1983, 21A-22ACi%pe))i, =. 1890, Per )% stori% 'e))% Soistic% /rec%, *rchiv fr Geschichte der

Philosophie1890, 1-21

Crie))i, P. 199


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---- 1981b, e I&terpet%tio& o /orgi%s re%tise On Natre or on what is not,

Dekalion 3< 1981, 319-32A.

---- 1984, (e%&i&g %&' "eere&ce; /orgi%s %&' te "e)%tio& betee& F%&gu%ge %&'

"e%)ity, i& The !ophistic Movement, 1st I&ter&%tio&%) Syposiu o& te Sopistic(oee&t, /ree+ Pi)osopic%) Society, =te&s, 1984, 215-222.

7yr+os, =. *%s. 1993, The *ncient Greek 3nlightenment and the !ophistic Movement,

=te&s, 1993 2&' e'itio& -- i& /ree+.

(. F%DeroitD, (. 1933 p%pers

prese&te' %t % co&ere&ce o& /orgi%s?.

(oure)%tos, P.6.=. 198A, /orgi%s o& te u&ctio& o F%&gu%ge, Philosophical

Topics J 198A, 135-1A0 >ep%&'e' ersio& o % p%per pub)ise' i& (o&to&eri-

"o%&o e's, The proceedings of the -nternational ;ongress on Gorgias , C%t%&i%

1985. =& %bri'gee&t, i& o'er& /ree+, o tis p%per %s %)so pub)ise' i& te

procee'i&gs o te 1st I&ter&%tio&%) Syposiu; The !ophistic Movement, =te&s,

1984, 223-231?.

---- 1993, The Pre?!ocratics, Pri&ceto& :&iersity Press, 1993 2&'e'

Nest)e, B. 1922, 6ie Scrit 'es /orgi%s KRber 'ie N%tur o'er Rber '%s Nictsei&'e,

"ermes 5A 1922, 551-5 Gorgias9 !chrift =&er das Nichtseinde, *er)i&,

19A3.

"ei&%r't, 7. 191


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"o'rgueD-='r%'os, @. 1981, F% teor% 'e) sig&o e& /orgi%s 'e Feo&ti&os, i&

/ec+e)er, H. e'., 0ogos !emantikos. !tdia lingistica in honorem 3genio

;oserio, *er)i&-(%'ri', 1981.

Sci%pp%, H.-Ho%&, St. 1994, I&tertetu%) =rgue&t i& /orgi%s On What is Not;= @or%)iD%tio& o Setus, ='. (%t. A.AA-80, Philosoph' and 1hetoric 2A

1994, 15

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