{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)
July 1, 2009
February 28, 2009
The Day It Rained
In memory of 228. 作詞呂美親 作曲與演唱吳易叡
The day it rained, the weather turned cold abruptly. Water was not abundant anymore, nor beautiful were the rice flowers. It was the end of tobacco leaves' season. I was planning to grow rice. I was longing for the coming of peaceful days.
It was not the sunset yet. But I could barely see the ridge of my rice fields, finding no place to nestle. Suddenly I fell in to a dike, on the day it rained, when rain dampened the road lamps. My cigarette was still burning, how come this evening passed far sooner than before?
Wasn't it a dream? If yes why couldn't I wake up? I saw those hoes become arms, rivers become turbid, tobacco leaves were dyed red. And chickens and birds could not escape in time, either.
Since the day, the moon stays still. No matter how the wind blows, how the rain pours, I stand by the sky, waiting together with you.
I have forgotten what tobacco smelled like. I seem to smell the fragrance of your cooking. However I cannot stretch my legs, nor can I open my eyes. Please do not panic for me. Here under the dike I have many companions. Whenever you are not able to fall asleep, please remember that I will go back and watch you.
The day it rained, the weather turned cold abruptly. Water was not abundant anymore, nor beautiful were the rice flowers. It was the end of tobacco leaves' season. I was planning to grow rice. I was longing for the coming of peaceful days.
It was not the sunset yet. But I could barely see the ridge of my rice fields, finding no place to nestle. Suddenly I fell in to a dike, on the day it rained, when rain dampened the road lamps. My cigarette was still burning, how come this evening passed far sooner than before?
Wasn't it a dream? If yes why couldn't I wake up? I saw those hoes become arms, rivers become turbid, tobacco leaves were dyed red. And chickens and birds could not escape in time, either.
Since the day, the moon stays still. No matter how the wind blows, how the rain pours, I stand by the sky, waiting together with you.
I have forgotten what tobacco smelled like. I seem to smell the fragrance of your cooking. However I cannot stretch my legs, nor can I open my eyes. Please do not panic for me. Here under the dike I have many companions. Whenever you are not able to fall asleep, please remember that I will go back and watch you.
October 3, 2008
One and The Same
Different Senses Of The Same in Metaphysics V.9:
Aristotle differentiates the following two senses of the same, but note that he does not mention any “the same in the appropriate sense.”
1. The same by coincidence, for instance, pale and cultured are the same because they are accidents of the same subject.
2. The same by itself, namely, having the same number of senses as “one.”
Aristotle differentiates the following two senses of the same, but note that he does not mention any “the same in the appropriate sense.”
1. The same by coincidence, for instance, pale and cultured are the same because they are accidents of the same subject.
2. The same by itself, namely, having the same number of senses as “one.”
March 7, 2008
Bacchae 278-283
One of my favorite passages of Bacchae
ὃς δ’ ἦλθ’ ἔπειτ’, ἀντίπαλον ὁ Σεμέλης γόνος
βότρυος ὑγρὸν πῶμ’ ηὗρε κἀσηνέγκατο
θνητοῖς, ὃ παύει τοὺς ταλαιπώρους βροτοὺς
λύπης, ὅταν πλησθῶσιν ἀμπέλου ῥοῆς,
ὕπνον τε λήθην τῶν καθ’ ἡμέραν κακῶν
δίδωσιν, οὐδ’ ἔστ’ ἄλλο φάρμακον πόνων.
(Bacchae, 278-283)
ὃς δ’ ἦλθ’ ἔπειτ’, ἀντίπαλον ὁ Σεμέλης γόνος
βότρυος ὑγρὸν πῶμ’ ηὗρε κἀσηνέγκατο
θνητοῖς, ὃ παύει τοὺς ταλαιπώρους βροτοὺς
λύπης, ὅταν πλησθῶσιν ἀμπέλου ῥοῆς,
ὕπνον τε λήθην τῶν καθ’ ἡμέραν κακῶν
δίδωσιν, οὐδ’ ἔστ’ ἄλλο φάρμακον πόνων.
(Bacchae, 278-283)
January 18, 2008
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?
November 27, 2006
Qualifying Exams
I spent a whole year of 2006 in preparing for the two qualifying exams: Ancient Greek translation exam on July 6th, 2006, and Ancient Greek philosophy comprehensive exam on November 27th, 2006. In memory of these days.
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)