Josef Pieper and the Danger of Sophistry
Abstract
This thesis explores Josef Pieper’s writings on sophistry and their contemporary relevance. It has three goals: to show the relevance of sophistry, to clarify the meaning of the concept, and to explore its consequences for the individual and society. I think of these three goals as responses to three questions: Why is sophistry relevant? What is it? Why is it worth exposing and opposing? In the introduction I give a brief biography of Josef Pieper and a survey of his work. Then, the first chapter answers the first question; the second chapter responds to the second question; and the third chapter to the third question. Key to the second chapter is Pieper’s text Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power, where, I maintain, he characterizes sophistry in five ways: as a disposition, an art, a corruption, a weapon, and a danger. Since the first of these - sophistry as a disposition - is the most important, the third chapter presents Pieper’s metaphysics, which is deeply rooted in Plato, Aristotle, and Thomas Aquinas, to whom I refer liberally. This gives deeper insight into the sophistical disposition and its ultimate consequence: unhappiness. Finally, the conclusion offers a few remedies for the sophistical worldview.
Subject Area
Philosophy|History|Metaphysics
Recommended Citation
Seiter, Joseph K, "Josef Pieper and the Danger of Sophistry" (2024). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI31292603.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI31292603
