Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Epideixis Statement I

Epideixis has arisen from, and aims to expand upon, the Dialectic project of creating forums for philosophic discourse and debate.

Epideixis intends to perpetuate the extended intellectual collaboration between Dialectic contributors Rowan Blyth, Samuel Douglas (also of Philosophy Hurts Your Head), and Martin Hill (also of, the hibernating, Hypomnemata).

The Epideixis contributors are committed to regularly posting on topics of philosophic and broader intellectual interest, and engaging in a discussion of each others’ posts.

The Epideixis contributors are committed to discussing specific philosophic texts and issues.

The Epideixis contributors are committed to engaging with the blogosphere in general, and the philoblogosphere in particular.

Plato On Epideixis: Hippias Minor

“Why on earth don’t you have anything to say, Socrates, after Hippias’ magnificent lecture [epideixis]? Don’t you find anything in his talk to praise, like the rest of us, or even to argue against, if there’s something you’re dissatisfied with? You needn’t worry: those who might have the best claim to an interest in philosophical discussion are on our own now.” – Plato. Hippias Minor 363a.

Plato On Epideixis: Hippias Major

“I mean, Gorgias, the famous sophist from Leontini, came here on public business as the representative of his native city, because he was thought to be the most competent of the Leontinians to conduct their state affairs; and not only was he popularly regarded as the best speaker ever to have addressed the Assembly, but he also gave lectures [epideixis] as a private individual and met with our young men, and earned and received a lot of money from our city” – Plato. Hippias Major 282b.

Saunders On Epideixis

Epideixis, lecture/exposition/display, designed to impress and persuade discursively rather than by tight argument” – Saunders, Trevor J. ‘Introduction’ in Plato’s Early Socratic Dialogues (London: Penguin, 2005), p. 32.