{ΘΕΑΙ.} Καὶ νὴ τοὺς θεούς γε, ὦ Σώκρατες, ὑπερφυῶς ὡς θαυμάζω τί ποτ’ ἐστὶ ταῦτα, καὶ ἐνίοτε ὡς ἀληθῶς βλέπων εἰς αὐτὰ σκοτοδινιῶ.
{ΣΩ.} Θεόδωρος γάρ, ὦ φίλε, φαίνεται οὐ κακῶς τοπάζειν περὶ τῆς φύσεώς σου. μάλα γὰρ φιλοσόφου τοῦτο τὸ πάθος, τὸ θαυμάζειν· οὐ γὰρ ἄλλη ἀρχὴ φιλοσοφίας ἢ αὕτη, καὶ ἔοικεν ὁ τὴν Ἶριν Θαύμαντος ἔκγονον φήσας οὐ κακῶς γενεαλογεῖν. ἀλλὰ πότερον μανθάνεις ἤδη δι’ ὃ ταῦτα τοιαῦτ’ ἐστὶν ἐξ ὧν τὸν Πρωταγόραν φαμὲν λέγειν, ἢ οὔπω; (Theaetetus, 155c8-d7)
Showing posts with label Plato. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Plato. Show all posts
July 1, 2009
April 23, 2007
Sophist 245e-255e
Main concerns:
I. What is the role of the Mark of Being in the Battle of Gods and Giants? Does it successfully reconcile the Gods with the Giants? Is the discussion of the Mark of Being offered as a new approach to Plato’s theory of Forms?
II. (i) Why does Plato turn to discuss the Great Kinds after considering the Mark of Being? How does the discussion of the Great Kinds relate to that of the Mark of Being? Does the discussion of the Great Kinds deviate from Plato’s theory of Forms?
(ii) What is the function of the Great Kinds? How do they associate with each other? Is the combination among the Great Kinds an asymmetrical one? Are they associated with each other in the same way as a particular partakes of some Form?
I. What is the role of the Mark of Being in the Battle of Gods and Giants? Does it successfully reconcile the Gods with the Giants? Is the discussion of the Mark of Being offered as a new approach to Plato’s theory of Forms?
II. (i) Why does Plato turn to discuss the Great Kinds after considering the Mark of Being? How does the discussion of the Great Kinds relate to that of the Mark of Being? Does the discussion of the Great Kinds deviate from Plato’s theory of Forms?
(ii) What is the function of the Great Kinds? How do they associate with each other? Is the combination among the Great Kinds an asymmetrical one? Are they associated with each other in the same way as a particular partakes of some Form?
January 29, 2007
Vlastos on Reasons and Causes
Why is x F?
εἶναί τι ἕκαστον τῶν εἰδῶν καὶ τούτων τἆλλα μεταλαμβάνοντα αὐτῶν τούτων τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ἴσχειν (Phaedo, 102a10-b2)
Each of the Forms exists and other things acquired their name by having a share in them.
The 1st part of this statement (claiming the safe but uninformative αἰτία):
∀F∀x∃ϕ (Fx ↔ x participates ϕ)
ϕ: Form, x: individual, F: immanent character designated by adjective or abstract noun.
The 2nd part of this statement (claiming the clever αἰτία):
Instead of mentioning just one Form, ϕ, Socrates now refers us also to another, Γ, so related to ϕ, that whatever is “named after” Γ, will also be name after ϕ (103e-104b). X is F because it participates in Γ and Γ entails ϕ.
εἶναί τι ἕκαστον τῶν εἰδῶν καὶ τούτων τἆλλα μεταλαμβάνοντα αὐτῶν τούτων τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ἴσχειν (Phaedo, 102a10-b2)
Each of the Forms exists and other things acquired their name by having a share in them.
The 1st part of this statement (claiming the safe but uninformative αἰτία):
∀F∀x∃ϕ (Fx ↔ x participates ϕ)
ϕ: Form, x: individual, F: immanent character designated by adjective or abstract noun.
The 2nd part of this statement (claiming the clever αἰτία):
Instead of mentioning just one Form, ϕ, Socrates now refers us also to another, Γ, so related to ϕ, that whatever is “named after” Γ, will also be name after ϕ (103e-104b). X is F because it participates in Γ and Γ entails ϕ.
January 15, 2007
Phaedo 100b-102e
Isn't Simmias shorter than Phaedo and taller than Socrates "by a head"? Why does Plato insist that "a head" cannot serve as a proper explanation of the above phenomena?
April 30, 2006
Being Tough Enough?
Τί οὖν; νῦν οὐ πᾶν τοὐναντίον ἡμῖν φαίνεται ἐργαζομένη, ἡγεμονεύουσά τε ἐκείνων πάντων ἐξ ὧν φησί τις αὐτὴν εἶναι, καὶ ἐναντιουμένη ὀλίγου πάντα διὰ παντὸς τοῦ βίου καὶ δεσπόζουσα πάντας τρόπους, τὰ μὲν χαλεπώτερον κολάζουσα καὶ μετ’ ἀλγηδόνων, τά τε κατὰ τὴν γυμναστικὴν καὶ τὴν ἰατρικήν, τὰ δὲ πρᾳότερον, καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀπειλοῦσα, τὰ δὲ νουθετοῦσα, ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ ὀργαῖς καὶ φόβοις ὡς ἄλλη οὖσα ἄλλῳ πράγματι διαλεγομένη; οἷόν που καὶ Ὅμηρος ἐν Ὀδυσσείᾳ πεποίηκεν, οὗ λέγει τὸν Ὀδυσσέα· στῆθος δὲ πλήξας κραδίην ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ· (Phaedo, 94c9-d7)
December 1, 2003
Respublica X
My favorite passages of Plato's Republic
κατὰ τύχην δὲ τὴν Ὀδυσσέως λαχοῦσαν πασῶν ὑστάτην αἱρησομένην ἰέναι, μνήμῃ δὲ τῶν προτέρων πόνων φιλοτιμίας λελωφηκυῖαν ζητεῖν περιιοῦσαν χρόνον πολὺν βίον ἀνδρὸς ἰδιώτου ἀπράγμονος, καὶ μόγις εὑρεῖν κείμενόν που καὶ παρημελημένον ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων, καὶ εἰπεῖν ἰδοῦσαν ὅτι τὰ αὐτὰ ἂν ἔπραξεν καὶ πρώτη λαχοῦσα, καὶ ἁσμένην ἑλέσθαι. (Republic, 620c3-d2)
κατὰ τύχην δὲ τὴν Ὀδυσσέως λαχοῦσαν πασῶν ὑστάτην αἱρησομένην ἰέναι, μνήμῃ δὲ τῶν προτέρων πόνων φιλοτιμίας λελωφηκυῖαν ζητεῖν περιιοῦσαν χρόνον πολὺν βίον ἀνδρὸς ἰδιώτου ἀπράγμονος, καὶ μόγις εὑρεῖν κείμενόν που καὶ παρημελημένον ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων, καὶ εἰπεῖν ἰδοῦσαν ὅτι τὰ αὐτὰ ἂν ἔπραξεν καὶ πρώτη λαχοῦσα, καὶ ἁσμένην ἑλέσθαι. (Republic, 620c3-d2)