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Theaetetus
Theaetetus
Theaetetus
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Theaetetus

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“Theaetetus” is a dialogue by Plato from his middle period, written sometime around 369 BC. It is widely considered to be one of his best works and remains a significant contribution to the philosophy of knowledge. The work is framed as a dialogue between Socrates and a promising, but humble, young geometry student named Theaetetus. In one of the most well-known scenes in Plato’s dialogues, Socrates discusses his method for eliciting thoughtful discussion from students as philosophical midwifery, as he is able to sense when they are in the process of giving birth to an idea and Socrates helps it come forth. This approach to teaching would later be called the Socratic method, a series of questions and answers where the teacher assists in helping the students develop and expand upon their ideas and conclusions in a logical procession. Socrates and Theaetetus discuss three definitions of knowledge: knowledge as perception only, knowledge as true judgment, and knowledge as true judgment with an account, or further description or understanding of a thing. At the end of this process, the teacher and student agree that no final answer can be reached, in this fascinating and timeless masterpiece of philosophy. This edition follows the translation of Benjamin Jowett and includes a biographical afterword.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 24, 2020
ISBN9781420970517
Author

Plato

"Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.""Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.""We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.""Only the dead have seen the end of war."Plato

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    Theaetetus - Plato

    cover.jpg

    THEAETETUS

    By PLATO

    Translated by BENJAMIN JOWETT

    Theaetetus

    By Plato

    Translated by Benjamin Jowett

    Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-7050-0

    eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-7051-7

    This edition copyright © 2020. Digireads.com Publishing.

    All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

    Cover Image: a detail of Various birds rest in a birdbath and on branches that hang above, by Allan Brooks (1869-1946), (colour litho) / National Geographic Image Collection / Bridgeman Images.

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    CONTENTS

    THEAETETUS

    Biographical Afterword

    THEAETETUS

    PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE.

    SOCRATES, THEODORUS, THEAETETUS.

    Euclid and Terpsion meet in front of Euclid’s house in Megara; they enter the house, and the dialogue is read to them by a servant.

    EUCLID: Have you only just arrived from the country, Terpsion?

    TERPSION: No, I came some time ago: and I have been in the Agora looking for you, and wondering that I could not find you.

    EUCLID: But I was not in the city.

    TERPSION: Where then?

    EUCLID: As I was going down to the harbour, I met Theaetetus—he was being carried up to Athens from the army at Corinth.

    TERPSION: Was he alive or dead?

    EUCLID: He was scarcely alive, for he has been badly wounded; but he was suffering even more from the sickness which has broken out in the army.

    TERPSION: The dysentery, you mean?

    EUCLID: Yes.

    TERPSION: Alas! what a loss he will be!

    EUCLID: Yes, Terpsion, he is a noble fellow; only to-day I heard some people highly praising his behaviour in this very battle.

    TERPSION: No wonder; I should rather be surprised at hearing anything else of him. But why did he go on, instead of stopping at Megara?

    EUCLID: He wanted to get home: although I entreated and advised him to remain, he would not listen to me; so I set him on his way, and turned back, and then I remembered what Socrates had said of him, and thought how remarkably this, like all his predictions, had been fulfilled. I believe that he had seen him a little before his own death, when Theaetetus was a youth, and he had a memorable conversation with him, which he repeated to me when I came to Athens; he was full of admiration of his genius, and said that he would most certainly be a great man, if he lived.

    TERPSION: The prophecy has certainly been fulfilled; but what was the conversation? can you tell me?

    EUCLID: No, indeed, not offhand; but I took notes of it as soon as I got home; these I filled up from memory, writing them out at leisure; and whenever I went to Athens, I asked Socrates about any point which I had forgotten, and on my return I made corrections; thus I have nearly the whole conversation written down.

    TERPSION: I remember—you told me; and I have always been intending to ask you to show me the writing, but have put off doing so; and now, why should we not read it through?—having just come from the country, I should greatly like to rest.

    EUCLID: I too shall be very glad of a rest, for I went with Theaetetus as far as Erineum. Let us go in, then, and, while we are reposing, the servant shall read to us.

    TERPSION: Very good.

    EUCLID: Here is the roll, Terpsion; I may observe that I have introduced Socrates, not as narrating to me, but as actually conversing with the persons whom he mentioned—these were, Theodorus the geometrician (of Cyrene), and Theaetetus. I have omitted, for the sake of convenience, the interlocutory words ‘I said,’ ‘I remarked,’ which he used when he spoke of himself, and again, ‘he agreed,’ or ‘disagreed,’ in the answer, lest the repetition of them should be troublesome.

    TERPSION: Quite right, Euclid.

    EUCLID: And now, boy, you may take the roll and read.

    Euclid’s servant reads.

    SOCRATES: If I cared enough about the Cyrenians, Theodorus, I would ask you whether there are any rising geometricians or philosophers in that part of the world. But I am more interested in our own Athenian youth, and I would rather know who among them are likely to do well. I observe them as far as I can myself, and I enquire of any one whom they follow, and I see that a great many of them follow you, in which they are quite right, considering your eminence in geometry and in other ways. Tell me then, if you have met with any one who is good for anything.

    THEODORUS: Yes, Socrates, I have become acquainted with one very remarkable Athenian youth, whom I commend to you as well worthy of your attention. If he had been a beauty I should have been afraid to praise him, lest you should suppose that I was in love with him; but he is no beauty, and you must not be offended if I say that he is very like you; for he has a snub nose and projecting eyes, although these features are less marked in him than in you. Seeing, then, that he has no personal attractions, I may freely say, that in all my acquaintance, which is very large, I never knew any one who was his equal in natural gifts: for he has a quickness of apprehension which is almost unrivalled, and he is exceedingly gentle, and also the most courageous of men; there is a union of qualities in him such as I have never seen in any other, and should scarcely have thought possible; for those who, like him, have quick and ready and retentive wits, have generally also quick tempers; they are ships without ballast, and go darting about, and are mad rather than courageous; and the steadier sort, when they have to face study, prove stupid and cannot remember. Whereas he moves surely and smoothly and successfully in the path of knowledge and enquiry; and he is full of gentleness, flowing on silently like a river of oil; at his age, it is wonderful.

    SOCRATES: That is good news; whose son is he?

    THEODORUS: The name of his father I have forgotten, but the youth himself is the middle one of those who are approaching us; he and his companions have been anointing themselves in the outer court, and now they seem to have finished, and are coming towards us. Look and see whether you know him.

    SOCRATES: I know the youth, but I do not know his name; he is the son of Euphronius the Sunian, who was himself an eminent man, and such another as his son is, according to your account of him; I believe that he left a considerable fortune.

    THEODORUS: Theaetetus, Socrates, is his name; but I rather think that the property disappeared in the hands of trustees; notwithstanding which he is wonderfully liberal.

    SOCRATES: He must be a fine fellow; tell him to come and sit by me.

    THEODORUS: I will. Come hither, Theaetetus, and sit by Socrates.

    SOCRATES: By all means, Theaetetus, in order that I may see the reflection of myself in your face, for Theodorus says that we are alike; and yet if each of us held in his hands a lyre, and he said that they were tuned alike, should we at once take his word, or should we ask whether he who said so was or was not a musician?

    THEAETETUS: We should ask.

    SOCRATES: And if we found that he was, we should take his word; and if not, not?

    THEAETETUS: True.

    SOCRATES: And if this supposed likeness of our faces is a matter of any interest to us, we should enquire whether he who says that we are alike is a painter or not?

    THEAETETUS: Certainly we should.

    SOCRATES: And is Theodorus a painter?

    THEAETETUS: I never heard that he was.

    SOCRATES: Is he a geometrician?

    THEAETETUS: Of course he is, Socrates.

    SOCRATES: And is he an astronomer and calculator and musician, and in general an educated man?

    THEAETETUS: I think so.

    SOCRATES: If, then, he remarks on a similarity in our persons, either by way of praise or blame, there is no particular reason why we should attend to him.

    THEAETETUS: I should say not.

    SOCRATES: But if he praises the virtue or wisdom which are the mental endowments of either of us, then he who hears the praises will naturally desire to examine him who is praised: and he again should be willing to exhibit himself.

    THEAETETUS: Very true, Socrates.

    SOCRATES: Then now is the time, my dear Theaetetus, for me to examine, and for you to exhibit; since although Theodorus has praised many a citizen and stranger in my hearing, never did I hear him praise any one as he has been praising you.

    THEAETETUS: I am glad to hear it, Socrates; but what if he was only in jest?

    SOCRATES: Nay, Theodorus is not given to jesting; and I cannot allow you to retract your consent on any such pretence as that. If you do, he will have to swear to his words; and we are perfectly sure that no one will be found to impugn him. Do not be shy then, but stand to your word.

    THEAETETUS: I suppose I must, if you wish it.

    SOCRATES: In the first place, I should like to ask what you learn of Theodorus: something of geometry, perhaps?

    THEAETETUS: Yes.

    SOCRATES: And astronomy and harmony and calculation?

    THEAETETUS: I do my best.

    SOCRATES: Yes, my boy, and so do I; and my desire is to learn of him, or of anybody who seems to understand these things. And I get on pretty well in general; but there is a little difficulty which I want you and the company to aid me in

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