What scholars tend to treat as a flawed philosophical argument is actually much worse than that. The dynamics of the dialogue require Socrates to appear impressed by Hippias, while Hippias must appear good (by being expert) to Socrates. Socrates is beneficial in that he continually applies dialectic and attempts to make Hippias think dialectically; Hippias is harmful, especially here, where he attemtps to teach Socrates eristics, the very opposite of dialectics (neither affects the other since they are both static models in this philosophical drama). The question "What is the fine?" is answered and refuted seven times.
