Problem:
As you read about Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle...you get some interesting and confusing ideas about what government is the best and their true feelings about the big curious word rhetoric. When you look at their ideas of rhetoric, who do they think is capable of carrying out the best of rhetoric? of embracing its expertise and finesse? Then, when you look at their ideas on how to be governed, how do you see rhetorical dunamis being such an important element in how well a democracy, pseudo-democracy, or mix-match government would fair if the leaders truly sucked at rhetoric? How is it that rhetoric creates, sustains, or destroys a government, culture, nation or world? Why did they all hate the sophists so much (Aristotle hated them least by the way)? What was so dangerous about the sophists and their embrace of persuasion at all costs?