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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Socrates regard Gorgias' answers as useful?

2. What kind of a result does Socrates believe any action taken must intend to elicit?

3. What is Polus meant to be an example of?

4. What does Socrates believe is worse than being poor or sick?

5. What does Socrates believe makes punishment beneficial?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Socrates compare medicine and gymnastics to legislation and justice?

2. How does Gorgias see rhetoric as a bridge between art and science?

3. How can pain or pleasure be useful, in Socrates' opinion?

4. How have we seen rhetoric successfully executed in the conversation in Chapter 1?

5. Why can the art of rhetoric not impart knowledge, according to Gorgias?

6. How does Gorgias see rhetoric aiding to the common good of humans?

7. Is Polus' claim that even unjust people like Archelaus are happy correct or incorrect? Why?

8. Why does Socrates question Gorgias about rhetoric?

9. What role does knowledge and justice play in learning and practicing rhetoric?

10. How does the philosophers' conversation of rhetoric incite discussions of broader subjects such as morality?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the nature of good and bad as discussed by the philosophers in Gorgias.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss and define Socrates' power, such as where it comes from, how it is used, and the ideology and reality of its usefulness.

Essay Topic 3

Develop your own argument for or against natural order or convention.

(see the answer keys)

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