Parrhesia

 ( Rhetoric ) 

In rhetoric, parrhesia () is candid speech, speaking freely. It implies not only freedom of speech, but the obligation to speak the truth for the common good, even at personal risk.

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Etymology The earliest recorded use of the term parrhesia is by Euripides in the fifth century B.C.Ancient Greek παρρησία (πᾶν "all" and ῥῆσις "utterance, speech") Parrhesia means literally "to speak everything" and by extension "to speak freely", "to speak boldly", or "boldness".

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Usage in ancient Greece In the Classical period, parrhesia was a fundamental component of the Athenian democracy. In the courts or the Ecclesia, the assembly of citizens, Athenians were free to say almost anything. In the Dionysia, playwrights such as Aristophanes made full use of their right to ridicule whomever they chose..

Outside of the theatre or government however, there were limits to what might be said; freedom to discuss politics, morals, religion, or to criticize people would depend upon the context: by whom it was said, and when, and how, and where. If one was seen as immoral, or held views that went contrary to popular opinion, then there were great risks involved in making use of such an unrestricted freedom of speech, such as being charged with impiety (). This was the pretext under which Socrates was executed in , for dishonoring the gods and corrupting the young. Though perhaps Socrates was punished for his close association with many of the participants in the Athenian coup of 411 BC, because it was believed that Socrates' philosophical teachings had served as an intellectual justification for their seizure of power.

In later Hellenistic philosophy, parrhesia was a defining characteristic of the Cynic philosophers, as epitomized in the shamelessness of Diogenes of Sinope. According to Philodemus, parrhesia is also used by the Epicureanism in the form of frank criticism of each other that is intended to help the target of criticism achieve the cessation of pain and reach a state of .

In the New Testament, parrhesia is the ability of Jesus or his followers to hold their own in discourse before political and religious authorities such as the Pharisees.e.g. : "Now when they saw the boldness την of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus."

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Usage in rabbinic Jewish writings Parrhesia appears in midrash literature as a condition for the transmission of Torah. Connoting open and public communication, appears in combination with the term δῆμος]] (, short for ), translated coram publica, in the public eye, i.e. open to the public.A meaning found in As a mode of communication it is repeatedly described in terms analogous to a commons. Parrhesia is closely associated with an ownerless wilderness of primary mytho-geographic import, the Midbar Sinai in which the Torah was initially received. The dissemination of Torah thus depends on its teachers cultivating a nature that is as open, ownerless, and sharing as that wilderness. Bamidbar Rabbah 1:7 The term is important to advocates of Open Source Judaism. Here is the text from the Mekhilta where the term appears (see bolded text).

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:Torah was given over ' in a (a place belonging to no one). For had it been given in the Land of Israel, they would have had cause to say to the nations of the world, “you have no share in it.” Thus was it given ', in a place belonging to no one: “Let all who wish to receive it, come and receive it!”

Explanation: Why was the Torah not given in the land of Israel? In order that the peoples of the world should not have the excuse for saying: "Because it was given in Israel's land, therefore we have not accepted it.".

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:Another reason: To avoid causing dissension among the tribes of. Else one might have said: In my land the Torah was given. And the other might have said: In my land the Torah was given. Therefore, the Torah was given in the (wilderness, desert), , in a place belonging to no one. To three things the Torah is likened: to the , to fire, and to water. This is to tell one that just as these three things are free to all who come into the world, so also are the words of the Torah free to all who come into the world.

The term "parrhesia" is also used in Modern Hebrew (usually spelled ), meaning in public.

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Modern scholarship Michel Foucault developed the concept of parrhesia as a mode of discourse in which people express their opinions and ideas candidly and honestly, avoiding the use of manipulation, rhetoric, or broad generalizations.. Foucault's interpretation of parrhesia is in contrast to the contemporary Cartesian model of requiring irrefutable evidence for truth. Descartes equated truth with the indubitable, believing that what cannot be doubted must be true. Until speech is examined or criticized to see if it is subject to doubt, its truth cannot be evaluated by this standard.

Foucault asserted that the Ancient Greece concept of parrhesia rested on several criteria. A person who engages in parrhesia is only recognized as doing so if they possess a credible connection to the truth. This entails acting as a critic of either oneself, popular opinions, or societal norms. The act of revealing this truth exposes the individual to potential risks, yet the critic persists in speaking out due to a moral, social, or political responsibility. Additionally, in public contexts, a practitioner of parrhesia should hold a less empowered social position compared to those to whom the truth is being conveyed.

Foucault described the classic Greek as someone who takes a risk by speaking honestly, even when it might lead to negative consequences. This risk isn't always about life-threatening situations. For instance, when someone tells a friend that they are doing something wrong, knowing it might make them angry and harm the friendship, that person is acting as a . Parrhesia is closely tied to having the courage to speak the truth despite potential dangers, including social repercussions, political scandal, or even matters of life and death.

Parrhesia involves speaking openly. This involves a distinct connection to truth via honesty, a link to personal life through facing danger, a certain interaction with oneself or others through critique, and a specific relationship with moral principles through freedom and responsibility. Specifically, it's a form of speaking where the speaker shares their personal truth, even risking their life because they believe truth-telling is a duty to help others and themselves. In parrhesia, the speaker opts for honesty over persuasion, truth over falsehood or silence, the risk of death over safety, criticism over flattery, and moral obligation over self-interest or indifference.

The speaks without reservation. For instance, Demosthenes, in his discourses "On the False Embassy" and "First Philippic," emphasizes the importance of speaking with parrhesia, without holding back or hiding anything.

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See also

• Sincerity
• Speaking truth to power

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Further reading

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External links

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