Page - 485 - in The Complete Plato
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I mean, as I was just now saying, and as I am sure that you know, that those
things which are possessed by the number three must not only be three in
number, but must also be odd.
Quite true.
And on this oddness, of which the number three has the impress, the
opposite idea will never intrude?
No.
And this impress was given by the odd principle?
Yes.
And to the odd is opposed the even?
True.
Then the idea of the even number will never arrive at three?
No.
Then three has no part in the even?
None.
Then the triad or number three is uneven?
Very true.
To return then to my distinction of natures which are not opposed, and yet
do not admit opposites—as, in the instance given, three, although not opposed
to the even, does not any the more admit of the even, but always brings the
opposite into play on the other side; or as two does not receive the odd, or fire
the cold—from these examples (and there are many more of them) perhaps
you may be able to arrive at the general conclusion, that not only opposites
will not receive opposites, but also that nothing which brings the opposite will
admit the opposite of that which it brings, in that to which it is brought. And
here let me recapitulate—for there is no harm in repetition. The number five
will not admit the nature of the even, any more than ten, which is the double
of five, will admit the nature of the odd. The double has another opposite, and
is not strictly opposed to the odd, but nevertheless rejects the odd altogether.
Nor again will parts in the ratio 3:2, nor any fraction in which there is a half,
nor again in which there is a third, admit the notion of the whole, although
they are not opposed to the whole: You will agree?
Yes, he said, I entirely agree and go along with you in that.
And now, he said, let us begin again; and do not you answer my question in
the words in which I ask it: let me have not the old safe answer of which I
485
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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