Students of all the various kinds of majors should learn how to communicate in their chosen fields of study. After all, it is affirmed that you have greater chance of success and promotion in your chosen field, and in life, when you are able to speak well, or able to persuade others. This is why every student, in any major, from biology to physics, is required to take some speech and communication courses.
Those who major in communication and speech are taught the art and science of persuasion. This includes studies in rhetoric, oratory, argumentation, debate, language, linguistics, etc.
The Sophists
"Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." (Prov. 23: 23)
This verse does not condemn "selling" the truth in every sense. This is evident from the text itself for it is evident that if one "buys" the truth, he must buy it from someone, i.e. a seller. What it condemns is selling the truth in the sense of no longer possessing it yourself. We can keep the truth we buy while at the same time selling the truth to others.
Those who promote ideas, philosophies, theories, etc., attempt to persuade others to accept them. When someone rejects such, he will often say "I am not buying it." To "buy" in this sense means to accept as true. Also, if we are to "buy the truth," it must be bought from a seller. So, selling the truth, selling instruction, and selling understanding is not forbidden but rather encouraged. The text, after all, speaks of not only buying and selling "truth" but of buying and selling "wisdom," "instruction" (education), and "understanding."
This is not condemning the charging of tuition for an education. It does condemn ridding ourselves of truth, education, and understanding and also condemns the selling of ideas and facts which we are not worth anything, like selling a bad product. Further, there is often a "price" to be paid for obtaining knowledge and truth which is not monetary, such as hard work.
Are preachers not compared to salesmen and merchants? Peddlers? Perhaps even "snake oil salesmen"? I wrote on this in "Sophist Preachers" (here). Are not political partisans sellers of their ideas? And, is it not a fact that the most "popular" of such are speakers gifted in Sophistry? Skilled in the art of persuasion? And, just how do the best persuaders "ply their trade"?
Hitler is considered one of the greatest "orators" of the twentieth century, and most of his persuasion (or selling tactics) were clearly after the manner of the Sophists and of the best "snake oil salesmen." He certainly did "persuade" many to follow his cause!
But, as great as are the persuasive skills of politicians, religious leaders, educators, lawyers, and of the various "hucksters," and "con men," yet some of the best and highest paid are in "advertising" or "marketing." In fact, people today can go to college and major in business marketing, even getting Phds. Thus you can read up on "Persuasion Marketing" (here) which is part of what are called "persuasion industries."
Daily through "commercials" and "advertisements" of every kind efforts are being made by marketers to persuade us to buy a product or service. If one produces a good product, which fulfills the needs of people, certainly he will want to "advertise" that fact (and hopefully not only for financial reasons) and inform the people of all the good about the product (and if honest, all the possible dangers or side effects). He will want to say that the price or cost to acquire the product is far less than the benefit from it, or a "good deal." On the other hand, people with a bad product also try to persuade people to buy their products, and often they do so knowing that they are peddling imperfect wares.
The point is this, the best persuaders are often those who produce the commercials and advertisements we see every day. By "best" I mean the ones who get the best results (most popular, most sales), which is, of course, the Sophist definition. And, the marketing world is full of skilled Sophistic persuaders. Who hasn't bought a product because of its advertising hype and "puffing"? These professional marketers know all about Aristotle's book on rhetoric and on the emotions. Do not the commercials appeal to our emotions?
Sad to say, many churches and preachers have sought to imitate the Sophist marketers.
In closing let me cite this text and make a comment upon it:
"Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him." (Acts 17: 17-18a)
In the "market," or "agora," where people were selling all kinds of products, there were the "philosophers" such as named (and no doubt some not named, such as the Sophists). These were peddling or marketing their philosophies, seeking students and followers (people who would pay them for their teaching), just as those that sold products. But, Paul had something to offer them too!
p.s. I was blessed to spend over a week in Greece back in December of 1984 and visited Athens and saw the ancient "agora" and "Parthenon," as well as the hill where Paul stood in Acts 17 (called the Areopagus, vs. 19) and delivered this famous sermon. I also visited Corinth and Delphi. It was a blessing.
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