[MD] The trouble with Sophists

[X Acto]

In "Sophist" by Plato the visitor from Elea seems to make similar assertions
about the Sophist as RMP makes against modern academia. The visitor asserts
to Theatus that the sophist reify concepts and sell them as the experiences they
represent he also criticizes their use of rhetoric as rationalized arguements 
not
grounded in empirical experience.
  This is pretty much the same arguement raised in "Phaedrus" in which Socrates
tries to persuade Phaedrus that an empirically grounded oratory is superior and 
best precedes any rhetoricaly persuasive arguement. In effect the Sophist is 
being 

branded a rationalist.

It is also interesting to note how Socrates use of Elanchus is illustrated as 
the effort
to understand a concept or situation plurally and relationally in a radically 
empirical
manner.

a good read.

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