J. Kastely makes the case for Plato’s Republic as a self-consciously rhetorical work exploring a fundamental problem for philosophy. He argues that the Republic is a mimetic poem responding to a discursive crisis within democracy, namely, the absence of a genuinely persuasive defense of justice. Understanding the Republic as a work that raises persuasion as a key problem for philosophy requires us to rethink Plato’s understanding of the relationship between philosophy and rhetoric. This is a major and provocative reconsideration of the relationship of philosophy and rhetoric and raises issues central to a wide range of scholarly fields, from political theory to psychology to aesthetics.

Plato and Aristotle tend to overshadow their precursors, such as Protagoras and Heraclitus. However, it was these earlier thinkers who created the climate in which they could flourish. This book shows how Plato's career, and his most famous work, should be seen as a response to their challenge.

Building upon a rich legacy, the new edition of The Rhetoric of Western Thought provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of rhetoric from its inception in the ancient world, to its present day expression in contemporary practice and scholarship. As with previous editions, The Rhetoric of Western Thought, has been revised to enhance its traditional strengths by expanding coverage, by refining pedagogy, by updating treatment, and by improving organization, clarity and readability.