西方古代與現代哲學的視野還有差異有許多方面可以探討，其中一則巨大的不同，就是現代哲學中修辭學的相對式微，以及古代哲學對它的高度重視。這樣的差異究竟是哲學發展「進步」的結果呢？還是事實上，這一所謂的進步仍非全然正面的？為了嚴格、客觀地評價修辭學在哲學中的相對衰落，仔細梳理希臘思想家如何竟將他們對修辭的反省提升到哲學思考的高度，有其必要。
One of the conspicuous differences between European modern and ancient philosophy is the relative absence of a discussion of rhetoric in the former and an intense interest in it from the latter. Is this difference a result of "progress" in the development of philosophical ideas? Or is it in fact not clearly an advancement and might be a mixed blessing? In order to evaluate precisely and objectively this devaluation of rhetoric in philosophy, it is necessary to see how the Greek thinkers raised reflections on it to a philosophical level first.