ETHICS - SOPHISTS Flashcards
(16 cards)
What does the term SOPHISTS refer to?
5th century BC intellectuals who sold persuasive knowledge
Derived from ‘sophia’ meaning knowledge
What is RHETORIC?
The art of persuasion
What type of education did sophists offer?
Education in aretē (virtue/excellence)
What was a central question in Athens regarding life?
How do I live a good life?
What is RELATIVISM?
The idea that everyone’s opinion is valid
Who is Protagoras?
A sophist known for the concept of relativism
What does ‘Man is the measure of all things’ imply?
Truth is relative and subjective
What is Moral Relativity?
The belief that morality is relative and varies by individual
What is the implication of laws according to sophists?
Laws should be moral but aren’t necessarily so
Who is Gorgias?
A nihilist who distrusted any kind of truth
What is MORAL NIHILISM?
The belief that no moral truths exist
What is ABSURDISM?
A type of good nihilism that suggests life is inherently meaningless
What do words represent according to Gorgias?
Symbols created by man, which limit understanding
What does Gorgias claim about existence?
‘Nothing exists’ or if something exists, it is beyond understanding
What did Gorgias focus on instead of philosophy?
The art of Rhetoric (persuasion)
Fill in the blank: ‘Good’ nihilism is called _______.
ABSURDISM
