Page - 54 - in The Complete Plato
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Just as that which is greater is of a nature to be greater than something else?
(Socrates is intending to show that science differs from the object of science,
as any other relative differs from the object of relation. But where there is
comparison—greater, less, heavier, lighter, and the like—a relation to self as
well as to other things involves an absolute contradiction; and in other cases,
as in the case of the senses, is hardly conceivable. The use of the genitive
after the comparative in Greek, (Greek), creates an unavoidable obscurity in
the translation.)
Yes.
Which is less, if the other is conceived to be greater?
To be sure.
And if we could find something which is at once greater than itself, and
greater than other great things, but not greater than those things in comparison
of which the others are greater, then that thing would have the property of
being greater and also less than itself?
That, Socrates, he said, is the inevitable inference.
Or if there be a double which is double of itself and of other doubles, these
will be halves; for the double is relative to the half?
That is true.
And that which is greater than itself will also be less, and that which is
heavier will also be lighter, and that which is older will also be younger: and
the same of other things; that which has a nature relative to self will retain
also the nature of its object: I mean to say, for example, that hearing is, as we
say, of sound or voice. Is that true?
Yes.
Then if hearing hears itself, it must hear a voice; for there is no other way
of hearing.
Certainly.
And sight also, my excellent friend, if it sees itself must see a colour, for
sight cannot see that which has no colour.
No.
Do you remark, Critias, that in several of the examples which have been
recited the notion of a relation to self is altogether inadmissible, and in other
cases hardly credible—inadmissible, for example, in the case of magnitudes,
numbers, and the like?
54
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book The Complete Plato"
The Complete Plato
- Title
- The Complete Plato
- Author
- Plato
- Date
- ~347 B.C.
- Language
- English
- License
- PD
- Size
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Pages
- 1612
- Keywords
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Categories
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International