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Protagoras (Greek: Πρωταγόρας) (c. 481–c. 420 BC) was a pre-Socratic philosopher and is numbered as one of the sophists by Plato. In his dialogue Protagoras, Plato credits him with having invented the role of the professional sophist or teacher of virtue. Protagoras was born in Abdera, Thrace, in Ancient Greece. He was famous as a teacher of rhetoric and debate which were vital to Greek social life. Due to those interests, he was fascinated by the study of orthoepeia, or the correct use of words.
His most famous saying is: "Man is the measure of all things: of things which are, that they are so, and of things which are not, that they are not." The word "man" here is used generically meaning any human being. Despite the fame of this phrase, it has been passed down to us without any context, as is so often the case with the presocratics, and its meaning isn't entirely clear. It was Protagoras' teachings that spurred later philosophers such as Plato to search for objective, transcendent guidelines to underlie moral behavior.
Protagoras was also a famous proponent of agnosticism. In "On the Gods" he wrote: "Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing whether they exist or not or of what sort they may be, because of the obscurity of the subject, and the brevity of human life."
More on [ Protagoras ]
Sophism :: Ancient
Works :: Plato
@BrunnoAurora no protágoras hihi
_thatilla (thátilla s.) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:49:49 -0000
@BrunnoAurora no protágoras hihi
@luueny vo pro protágoras amr :DD
_thatilla (thátilla s.) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:16:53 -0000
@luueny vo pro protágoras amr :DD
@jessirosa vc vai lá no Protágoras hj?
manualmeida (Emanuelly Almeida) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:41:29 -0000
@jessirosa vc vai lá no Protágoras hj?
@Taizag protágoras XD
_thatilla (thátilla s.) Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:59:28 -0000
@Taizag protágoras XD
@vinemoraes wektrpowtoke besta. no protágoras *-*
_thatilla (thátilla s.) Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:35:12 -0000
@vinemoraes wektrpowtoke besta. no protágoras *-*
Protágoras señalo que el hombre es la medida de todas las cosas, somos nuestro propio lÃmite.
wladimirponce (wladimirponce) Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:31:17 -0000
Protágoras señalo que el hombre es la medida de todas las cosas, somos nuestro propio límite.
Protagoras - Two extant fragments from this thinker's teachings.
Protagoras - Short article summarizing this thinker's thought.
Protagoras - Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy article by Carol Poster. Deals extensively with what we know about the life, doctrines and influence of this Sophist.
Protagoras - Brief Wikipedia article on this thinker, noting his relativistic and agnostic teachings.
