Sophist – Plato
THEAETETUS: We were.
STRANGER: Then, again, in private conversation, when any universal assertion is made about gen-STRANGER: And does he not also teach others eration and essence, we know that such persons the art of disputation?
are tremendous argufiers, and are able to impart their own skill to others.
THEAETETUS: Certainly he does.
THEAETETUS: Undoubtedly.
STRANGER: And about what does he profess that he teaches men to dispute? To begin at the be-STRANGER: And do they not profess to make ginning—Does he make them able to dispute men able to dispute about law and about poli-about divine things, which are invisible to men tics in general?
in general?
THEAETETUS: Why, no one would have anything THEAETETUS: At any rate, he is said to do so.
to say to them, if they did not make these professions.
STRANGER: And what do you say of the visible things in heaven and earth, and the like?
STRANGER: In all and every art, what the crafts-man ought to say in answer to any question is THEAETETUS: Certainly he disputes, and teaches written down in a popular form, and he who likes to dispute about them.
may learn.