Lifespan: born 487 BC - died 376 BC
Primary Base of Operations: Greek cities of Leontini and Attica
Schools of Thought: Sophism
Other Occupations: Rhetorician
Teacher: Empedocles
Primary Base of Operations: Greek cities of Leontini and Attica
Schools of Thought: Sophism
Other Occupations: Rhetorician
Teacher: Empedocles
- considered by many to be one of the founders of Sophism.
- Gorgias begins his argument by presenting a logical contradiction, "if the nonexistent exists, it will both exist and not exist at the same time" (a violation of the principle of non-contradiction). He then denies that existence (to on) itself exists, for if it exists, it is either eternal or generated. If it is eternal, it has no beginning, and is therefore without limit. If it is without limit, it is "nowhere", and hence does not exist. And if existence is generated, it must come from something, and that something is existence, which is another contradiction. Likewise, nonexistence (to mê on) cannot produce anything. The sophist then explains that existence can neither be "one" (hen) or "many" (polla), since if it were one, it would be divisible, and therefore not one. If it were many, it would be a "composite of separate entities" and no longer the thing known as existence.
- some call him the first nihilist.
- he remarked, "if things considered [imagined or thought] in the mind are not existent, the existent is not considered", that is to say, existence is incomprehensible.
- Gorgias begins his argument by presenting a logical contradiction, "if the nonexistent exists, it will both exist and not exist at the same time" (a violation of the principle of non-contradiction). He then denies that existence (to on) itself exists, for if it exists, it is either eternal or generated. If it is eternal, it has no beginning, and is therefore without limit. If it is without limit, it is "nowhere", and hence does not exist. And if existence is generated, it must come from something, and that something is existence, which is another contradiction. Likewise, nonexistence (to mê on) cannot produce anything. The sophist then explains that existence can neither be "one" (hen) or "many" (polla), since if it were one, it would be divisible, and therefore not one. If it were many, it would be a "composite of separate entities" and no longer the thing known as existence.
- some call him the first nihilist.
- he remarked, "if things considered [imagined or thought] in the mind are not existent, the existent is not considered", that is to say, existence is incomprehensible.
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