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Very true.
But in the case of hearing and sight, or in the power of self-motion, and the
power of heat to burn, this relation to self will be regarded as incredible by
some, but perhaps not by others. And some great man, my friend, is wanted,
who will satisfactorily determine for us, whether there is nothing which has
an inherent property of relation to self, or some things only and not others;
and whether in this class of self-related things, if there be such a class, that
science which is called wisdom or temperance is included. I altogether
distrust my own power of determining these matters: I am not certain whether
there is such a science of science at all; and even if there be, I should not
acknowledge this to be wisdom or temperance, until I can also see whether
such a science would or would not do us any good; for I have an impression
that temperance is a benefit and a good. And therefore, O son of Callaeschrus,
as you maintain that temperance or wisdom is a science of science, and also
of the absence of science, I will request you to show in the first place, as I was
saying before, the possibility, and in the second place, the advantage, of such
a science; and then perhaps you may satisfy me that you are right in your
view of temperance.
Critias heard me say this, and saw that I was in a difficulty; and as one
person when another yawns in his presence catches the infection of yawning
from him, so did he seem to be driven into a difficulty by my difficulty. But as
he had a reputation to maintain, he was ashamed to admit before the company
that he could not answer my challenge or determine the question at issue; and
he made an unintelligible attempt to hide his perplexity. In order that the
argument might proceed, I said to him, Well then Critias, if you like, let us
assume that there is this science of science; whether the assumption is right or
wrong may hereafter be investigated. Admitting the existence of it, will you
tell me how such a science enables us to distinguish what we know or do not
know, which, as we were saying, is self-knowledge or wisdom: so we were
saying?
Yes, Socrates, he said; and that I think is certainly true: for he who has this
science or knowledge which knows itself will become like the knowledge
which he has, in the same way that he who has swiftness will be swift, and he
who has beauty will be beautiful, and he who has knowledge will know. In
the same way he who has that knowledge which is self-knowing, will know
himself.
I do not doubt, I said, that a man will know himself, when he possesses that
which has self-knowledge: but what necessity is there that, having this, he
should know what he knows and what he does not know?
Because, Socrates, they are the same.
55
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Buch The Complete Plato"
The Complete Plato
- Titel
- The Complete Plato
- Autor
- Plato
- Datum
- ~347 B.C.
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- PD
- Abmessungen
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Seiten
- 1612
- Schlagwörter
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Kategorien
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International