Gorgias

Plato's Gorgias brings Socrates into direct confrontation with the celebrated sophist Gorgias and his ambitious followers in one of ancient philosophy's most provocative dialogues. Through sharp wit and relentless questioning, Socrates challenges the art of rhetoric—what he calls "cookery," mere flattery designed to please rather than enlighten. This classical masterpiece explores the nature of persuasion, virtue, and the good life, exposing the hollow promises of those who claim to teach excellence without understanding truth. Written around the time of the Republic, Gorgias illuminates Plato's spiritual philosophy with remarkable depth. As translator Benjamin Jowett notes in his influential introduction, the work contains ethical ideas remarkably akin to Christian morality, yet distinctly Greek in its generosity—reserving ultimate punishment only for tyrants and the irredeemably unjust. The dialogue moves fluidly between abstract principle and concrete example, examining whether rhetoric serves justice or merely masks corruption. This audiobook is essential for anyone seeking to understand Western philosophy's foundations, the art of argumentation, and the timeless tension between appearance and reality. Whether you're a student of ancient texts, a philosophy enthusiast, or simply curious about how Socrates dismantles pretense with elegant logic, Gorgias remains startlingly relevant to contemporary debates about truth, power, and persuasion.