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lucylovesfantasy's review against another edition
5.0
Pretty based for a Plato book but Socrates was sometimes really an Ahole, but all the other times he was really a chad tbh
theos_bookcase's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5 stars
This was actually quite good. I swear Socrates has a thing for Callicles...but anywaaaaay lol
I'm surprised I actually liked this because honestly I'd never pick this up had it been for assigned reading...but good choice VCCAA
The conversation between Socrates and Callicles was quite funny because it was just arguing the entire time and I know philosophy isn't about argument in the sense of emotional disagreement but it felt like fighting... the sass within this is funny if you can read it from an immature lens like me hahahaha
This was actually quite good. I swear Socrates has a thing for Callicles...but anywaaaaay lol
I'm surprised I actually liked this because honestly I'd never pick this up had it been for assigned reading...but good choice VCCAA
The conversation between Socrates and Callicles was quite funny because it was just arguing the entire time and I know philosophy isn't about argument in the sense of emotional disagreement but it felt like fighting... the sass within this is funny if you can read it from an immature lens like me hahahaha
ebeeb's review against another edition
4.5
What can one say about Plato? It’s got it all — slave morality vs the decadent tyrant, the many vs the individual, fundamental questions about how we should live. He is not successful in answering Callicles’s question about why the powerful should not live corruptly (without recourse to the soul and an afterlife) but no one else has gotten any closer in the 2,000 years since it was written so I think we can give him a pass.
charliecoldwell's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.0
A book with interesting discussions on justice, however it isn't anything we haven't seen elsewhere in other Plato dialogues. There are certainly interesting points in this book, but it suffers worse than most Plato works with the "yes Socrates" dynamic with the other characters. They barely ever challenge Socrates' views past the first section of the book. Interesting ideas, but probably one of Plato's weaker works.
hoveros's review against another edition
5.0
Socrates is an asshole and people shouldn’t invite him to parties. He’s mostly right though. It probably makes it worse for the party guests that he’s more right then them. Woo boy, he sure knows how to make enemies.
pr_load's review against another edition
5.0
This one is a good one. This dialogue might be more aptly named Callicles because the interaction Socrates has with Callicles is by far the most memorable. Socrates takes on the Master of rhetoric (flattery) Gorgias, along with his two pupils Polus and Callicles. He slowly gets both Gorgias and Polus to make admissions that rhetoric is essentially a waste of time, and this unleashes the onslaught of Callicles. Callicles says that Socrates is wasting his time, and that philosophy is for little children, but for grown men is shameful. He goes as far as to imply that Socrates should be flogged for pursuing such a stupid endeavor. Socrates then proceeds to verbally take Callicles out by the shed and beats him like his daddy for half the dialogue until the point where Callicles outright refuses to answer any of Socrates' questions. It was very enjoyable, and much more dramatic than your typical dialogue. The main topic is how Rhetoric isn't a skill its a knack that isn't worth much other than pandering to the crowds. Socrates also makes some of his most bold claims in regards to morality, and how one shouldn't concern oneself with public opinion, nor of potential ramifications, one should concern oneself with doing what is just.