Page - 768 - in The Complete Plato

THEAETETUS: Of what are you speaking? You clearly think that we must first investigate what people mean by the word ‘being.’ STRANGER: You follow close at my heels, Theaetetus. For the right method, I conceive, will be to call into our presence the dualistic philosophers and to interrogate them. ‘Come,’ we will say, ‘Ye, who affirm that hot and cold or any other two principles are the universe, what is this term which you apply to both of them, and what do you mean when you say that both and each of them “are”? How are we to understand the word “are”? Upon your view, are we to suppose that there is a third principle over and above the other two,—three in all, and not two? For clearly you cannot say that one of the two principles is being, and yet attribute being equally to both of them; for, if you did, whichever of the two is identified with being, will comprehend the other; and so they will be one and not two.’ THEAETETUS: Very true. STRANGER: But perhaps you mean to give the name of ‘being’ to both of them together? THEAETETUS: Quite likely. STRANGER: ‘Then, friends,’ we shall reply to them, ‘the answer is plainly that the two will still be resolved into one.’ THEAETETUS: Most true. STRANGER: ‘Since, then, we are in a difficulty, please to tell us what you mean, when you speak of being; for there can be no doubt that you always from the first understood your own meaning, whereas we once thought that we understood you, but now we are in a great strait. Please to begin by explaining this matter to us, and let us no longer fancy that we understand you, when we entirely misunderstand you.’ There will be no impropriety in our demanding an answer to this question, either of the dualists or of the pluralists? THEAETETUS: Certainly not. STRANGER: And what about the assertors of the oneness of the all—must we not endeavour to ascertain from them what they mean by ‘being’? THEAETETUS: By all means. STRANGER: Then let them answer this question: One, you say, alone is? ‘Yes,’ they will reply. THEAETETUS: True. STRANGER: And there is something which you call ‘being’? 768