Dissoi Logoi: Two-Fold or Contrasting Arguments

Definitions are impacted by perspective. Good and bad are different to different people and even to the same person at different times. The argument presented gives the example of this concept in regard to human life. Death is good for the grave-diggers, but bad for those who are dying. This is true of nearly any job. It is unfortunate to be born with crooked teeth, but good for the orthodontist. The Spartans victory also exemplified this concept; as in any victory, winning is good for the champions but bad for the losers. Yet good is not the same thing as bad. The example for this remains relatable. Because I’ve done some good things to my parents, I’m not going to now intentionally do some bad things to my parents because the words are equal.

The same circumstance can be either seemly or shameful depending on the stance. Though some of his examples do not necessarily hold up in culture (at least the one I’ve lived in and am thus most familiar with) today, the concept is still applicable. And even the fact that what was then shameful is now seemly adds evidence to the argument. Others examples presented retain remarkable relevancy, which makes me question the entire concept of shame. The argument seems summarized best by the sentence, “For not everyone has the same views” (18). The very idea that viewpoints differ is to some, seemly, and to others shameful.

What is just and what is unjust also fit into the mold of reasoning. From relatable examples like that of lying to parents so that they will take their medicine to the arts, the motive influences whether the action is considered just or unjust. In writing and art, the celebrated person is the one who most accurately convinces people that they portray the truth. This certainly does not seem just, yet I’ve been so moved and appreciative of art that has done just this. My system of justice feels skewed, but then, it would appear that everyone’s system is. It makes me wonder how any court of law accomplishes any verdict, especially as the argument continues.

Similarly to what is just and unjust, what is true and false differs. I wish I would have known about this when I took True/False reading quizzes in middle school. I doubt the teachers would have given me the grade I wanted even with Dissoi Logoi on my side, and his argument concerns truths that fall on a much more important scale than middle school history. This contrast adds to the debate on existence: “all these things exist in some way” (15).

Whether or not things can be taught is a different debate, but also one addressed without a complete conclusion. Can wisdom and moral excellence be taught? The proofs that they cannot are quickly set aside. For example the argument that if any man in Greece becomes wise, he would have taught it to his son is countered with the example of Polyclitus’s teaching of his son to create statues. The proofs and rebuttals bring up the question of natural talent offering an early example, perhaps, of the nature vs. nurture debate. I read the beginning, middle, and end of the argument agreeing that the proofs do not satisfy, but still hoping that wisdom and moral excellence are indeed teachable. The wisdom side of the spectrum is why I am still a student.

I certainly agree with his examples justifying that jobs should not be assigned by lot. Deciding everyone’s job seems to be a very unproductive way for a society to function. Yet chance still plays a massive part in indirectly assigning life positions that lead to opportunities. I work with students who lack early educational opportunities, and the path that this typically leads to is why I am employed (good and bad). My team hopes to present the students with more opportunities than they would normally receive in their situations. Still, I’m grateful there is a degree of choice in career path. Freedom to choose my path is another reason I’m still a student. I’d be just as horrible a truck driver as I would a doctor and lives would be lost in both situations.

I think I’d want to have lunch with “the man who knows about the nature of everything” (8.2). I aspire to be a woman who is able to convince others that I have the knowledge necessary to understand any argument. However, I don’t think I would like to be best friends with someone who knows about everything without at least a little bit of ability to know a few things as well.

#GreekRhetoric #DissoiLogoi #Arguments #perspective