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For example, I said, can the same thing be at rest and in motion at the same
time in the same part?
Impossible.
Still, I said, let us have a more precise statement of terms, lest we should
hereafter fall out by the way. Imagine the case of a man who is standing and
also moving his hands and his head, and suppose a person to say that one and
the same person is in motion and at rest at the same moment—to such a mode
of speech we should object, and should rather say that one part of him is in
motion while another is at rest.
Very true.
And suppose the objector to refine still further, and to draw the nice
distinction that not only parts of tops, but whole tops, when they spin round
with their pegs fixed on the spot, are at rest and in motion at the same time
(and he may say the same of anything which revolves in the same spot), his
objection would not be admitted by us, because in such cases things are not at
rest and in motion in the same parts of themselves; we should rather say that
they have both an axis and a circumference; and that the axis stands still, for
there is no deviation from the perpendicular; and that the circumference goes
round. But if, while revolving, the axis inclines either to the right or left,
forward or backward, then in no point of view can they be at rest.
That is the correct mode of describing them, he replied.
Then none of these objections will confuse us, or incline us to believe that
the same thing at the same time, in the same part or in relation to the same
thing, can act or be acted upon in contrary ways.
Certainly not, according to my way of thinking.
Yet, I said, that we may not be compelled to examine all such objections,
and prove at length that they are untrue, let us assume their absurdity, and go
forward on the understanding that hereafter, if this assumption turn out to be
untrue, all the consequences which follow shall be withdrawn.
Yes, he said, that will be the best way.
Well, I said, would you not allow that assent and dissent, desire and
aversion, attraction and repulsion, are all of them opposites, whether they are
regarded as active or passive (for that makes no difference in the fact of their
opposition)?
Yes, he said, they are opposites.
Well, I said, and hunger and thirst, and the desires in general, and again
willing and wishing—all these you would refer to the classes already
1127
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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