Thick concepts and moral revisionism in Plato’s Gorgias: arguing about something there can be no argument about

Abstract David Furley has suggested that we think of Callicles’ immoralism as attacking a thick concept. I take up this suggestion and apply it to the argument of Plato’s Gorgias more generally. I show that the discussion between Socrates, Gorgias and Polus, which prepares the ground for Callicles,...

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1. Verfasser: Brüllmann, Philipp (VerfasserIn)
Dokumenttyp: Article (Journal)
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: 08 Nov 2019
In: Phronesis
Year: 2019, Jahrgang: 65, Heft: 2, Pages: 153-178
ISSN:1568-5284
DOI:10.1163/15685284-12342018
Online-Zugang:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1163/15685284-12342018
Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://brill.com/view/journals/phro/65/2/article-p153_2.xml
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Verfasserangaben:Philipp Brüllmann
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Zusammenfassung:Abstract David Furley has suggested that we think of Callicles’ immoralism as attacking a thick concept. I take up this suggestion and apply it to the argument of Plato’s Gorgias more generally. I show that the discussion between Socrates, Gorgias and Polus, which prepares the ground for Callicles, is precisely addressing the thickness of the concept of justice: it reveals that this concept is both descriptive and evaluative and that formulating a revisionist position about justice is therefore extremely difficult. Callicles’ strategy is best read as a response to this difficulty, which sets the stage for Socrates’ revisionist account of justice.
Beschreibung:Gesehen am 11.02.2026
Beschreibung:Online Resource
ISSN:1568-5284
DOI:10.1163/15685284-12342018