Sophist – Plato
THEODORUS: I dare say that the Stranger will you to say whether you like and are accustomed not object to discuss the question. What do you to make a long oration on a subject which you say, Stranger?
want to explain to another, or to proceed by the method of question and answer. I remember hear-STRANGER: I am far from objecting, Theodorus, ing a very noble discussion in which Parmenides nor have I any difficulty in replying that by us employed the latter of the two methods, when I they are regarded as three. But to define pre-was a young man, and he was far advanced in cisely the nature of each of them is by no means years. (Compare Parm.)
a slight or easy task.
STRANGER: I prefer to talk with another when THEODORUS: You have happened to light, he responds pleasantly, and is light in hand; if Socrates, almost on the very question which we not, I would rather have my own say.
were asking our friend before we came hither, and he excused himself to us, as he does now to SOCRATES: Any one of the present company will you; although he admitted that the matter had respond kindly to you, and you can choose whom been fully discussed, and that he remembered you like of them; I should recommend you to take the answer.
a young person—Theaetetus, for example—unless you have a preference for some one else.
SOCRATES: Then do not, Stranger, deny us the first favour which we ask of you: I am sure that STRANGER: I feel ashamed, Socrates, being a you will not, and therefore I shall only beg of new-comer into your society, instead of talking a 73
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little and hearing others talk, to be spinning out your friends and not of me.
a long soliloquy or address, as if I wanted to show off. For the true answer will certainly be a very THEAETETUS: I do not think that I shall tire, long one, a great deal longer than might be ex-and if I do, I shall get my friend here, young pected from such a short and simple question.
Socrates, the namesake of the elder Socrates, to At the same time, I fear that I may seem rude help; he is about my own age, and my partner at and ungracious if I refuse your courteous request, the gymnasium, and is constantly accustomed especially after what you have said. For I cer-to work with me.
tainly cannot object to your proposal, that Theaetetus should respond, having already con-STRANGER: Very good; you can decide about that versed with him myself, and being recommended for yourself as we proceed. Meanwhile you and I by you to take him.
will begin together and enquire into the nature of the Sophist, first of the three: I should like THEAETETUS: But are you sure, Stranger, that you to make out what he is and bring him to this will be quite so acceptable to the rest of the light in a discussion; for at present we are only company as Socrates imagines?
agreed about the name, but of the thing to which we both apply the name possibly you have one STRANGER: You hear them applauding, notion and I another; whereas we ought always Theaetetus; after that, there is nothing more to to come to an understanding about the thing it-be said. Well then, I am to argue with you, and if self in terms of a definition, and not merely about you tire of the argument, you may complain of the name minus the definition. Now the tribe of 74
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Sophists which we are investigating is not eas-and not great, and is yet as susceptible of defini-ily caught or defined; and the world has long tion as any larger thing? Shall I say an angler?
ago agreed, that if great subjects are to be ad-He is familiar to all of us, and not a very inter-equately treated, they must be studied in the esting or important person.
lesser and easier instances of them before we proceed to the greatest of all. And as I know that THEAETETUS: He is not.
the tribe of Sophists is troublesome and hard to be caught, I should recommend that we practise STRANGER: Yet I suspect that he will furnish us beforehand the method which is to be applied with the sort of definition and line of enquiry to him on some simple and smaller thing, unless which we want.
you can suggest a better way.
THEAETETUS: Very good.
THEAETETUS: Indeed I cannot.
STRANGER: Let us begin by asking whether he STRANGER: Then suppose that we work out is a man having art or not having art, but some some lesser example which will be a pattern of other power.
the greater?
THEAETETUS: He is clearly a man of art.
THEAETETUS: Good.
STRANGER: And of arts there are two kinds?
STRANGER: What is there which is well known 75
Sophist – Plato
THEAETETUS: What are they?
THEAETETUS: They are.
STRANGER: There is agriculture, and the tend-STRANGER: Then let us sum them up under the ing of mortal creatures, and the art of construct-name of productive or creative art.
ing or moulding vessels, and there is the art of imitation—all these may be appropriately called THEAETETUS: Very good.
by a single name.
STRANGER: Next follows the whole class of learn-THEAETETUS: What do you mean? And what is ing and cognition; then comes trade, fighting, hunt-the name?
ing. And since none of these produces anything, but is only engaged in conquering by word or deed, STRANGER: He who brings into existence some-or in preventing others from conquering, things thing that did not exist before is said to be a which exist and have been already produced—in producer, and that which is brought into exist-each and all of these branches there appears to be ence is said to be produced.
an art which may be called acquisitive.
THEAETETUS: True.
THEAETETUS: Yes, that is the proper name.
STRANGER: And all the arts which were just now STRANGER: Seeing, then, that all arts are either mentioned are characterized by this power of acquisitive or creative, in which class shall we producing?
place the art of the angler?