Callicles

Callicles of Acharnae in Attica, the Athenian Demos, is the son of Pyrilampes and one of the three main characters in Gorgias. He engages in the dialogue when Socrates recognizes that his knowledge and frankness benefit the discussion, although he later accuses him of having evil spirit. Callicles is has a high regard for the art of business and encourages Socrates to undertake it. He is an accomplished and worldly man. He is direct and can defend himself, although he loses his temper and can easily be provoked. It is the nature and natural laws that govern the world for Callicles, who believes that strength determines justice.

Callicles is the enemy of sophists and despises philosophy. As philosophy is based more on theory rather than real experience, he considers it useless. Practice is most essential for him because it delivers results, being also part of the natural order...