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(Ancient Greek δισσοὶ λόγοι, "contrasting arguments") is a exercise of unknown authorship, most likely dating to just after the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) based on comments within the exercise's text. The exercise is intended to help an individual gain deeper understanding of an issue by forcing them to consider it from the angle of their opponent, which may serve either to strengthen their argument or to help the debaters reach compromise.For a different assessment of the work see Molinelli, S. (2018) Dissoi Logoi: A New Commented Edition, Durham theses, Durham University, 296-297 (http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/12451/1/Dis._Log..pdf?DDD3+)
Rosamond Sprague argues that good and bad cannot be the same and are, in fact, different from each other, exemplifying this by examining the concept of war; if both good and bad were the same, then by doing a great deal of harm, one would also be doing the opposing side the greatest of good. , also called , is a two-fold argument, which considers each side of an argument in hopes of coming to a deeper truth. It is similar to a form of debate with oneself and holds that contradiction is an inevitable consequence of discourse. Daniel Silvermintz notes that while the purports to offer a consideration of both the absolutist and relativist positions, the latter chapters defending the sophists demonstrate its allegiance to the relativist position.
There are many 5th and 4th century BC works that touch upon similar concepts mentioned in the . The 's attempt to argue an issue from both sides is reminiscent of Plato's Protagoras, which was presumably written after the . It could be that the could have been derived from Protagoras himself, and may have even been an influence on Plato while he was writing his Protagoras.Gera, D.L. Two Thought Experiments in the Dissoi Logoi. The American Journal of Philology121(1): 24 A definite parallel can be drawn between the thoughts of Protagoras as recounted by Plato, and the rhetorical methods used in the .Gera, D.L. Two Thought Experiments in the Dissoi Logoi. The American Journal of Philology121(1): 21-45 The exercise considers demonstrating contrasting arguments in a single oration a method of demonstrating skill. Protagoras stated that every argument had two contradicting sides, both of which could be argued. This idea emphasizes the power and versatility of language. considers that rhetoric can be situational. On the true purpose of the , one scholar writes "it could be a serious, and hence disappointingly bad treatise; a heavy-handed spoof of such (Sophist) works; a workbook for dialecticians...It is almost impossible to say anything about the that goes beyond mere conjecture."Bailey, D.T.J. 2008. "Excavating the Dissoi Logoi 4". ''Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy: 250'
The speaks in detail about the acquisition of language in humans, which is ultimately determined to be learned, not inherent (6.12). The author comes to this conclusion through the question, "What if a Greek child is born in Greece and immediately sent to live in Persia?", with the answer being that the child would speak Persian, not Greek, and therefore language must be learned. A similar debate is waged in Herodotus's Histories 2.2, where an Egyptian king, Psamtik I, attempts to determine the world's first language by raising two newborns completely in lack of language. The children independently begin to speak Phrygian, which is then determined to be the first language of man. Both Herodotus, and the author of the seem to have invested thought into the developments of language.Gera, D.L. Two Thought Experiments in the Dissoi Logoi. The American Journal of Philology121(1): 25
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