Str. I mean to say, that when they talk of one, two, or more elements, which
are or have become or are
becoming, or again of heat mingling with cold, assuming in some other part of
their works separations
and mixtures,-tell me, Theaetetus, do you understand what they mean by these
expressions? When I was a
younger man, I used to fancy that I understood quite well what was meant by the
term "not-being," which
is our present subject of dispute; and now you see in what a fix we are about
it.
Theaet. I see.
Str. And very likely we have been getting into the same perplexity about
"being," and yet may fancy
that when anybody utters the word, we understand him quite easily, although we
do not know about
not-being. But we may be; equally ignorant of both.
Theaet. I dare say.
Str. And the same may be said of all the terms just mentioned.
Theaet. True.
Str. The consideration of most of them may be deferred; but we had better now
discuss the chief
captain and leader of them.
Theaet. Of what are you speaking? You clearly think that we must first
investigate what people mean
by the word "being."
Str. You follow close at 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."
-Plato
"Sophist"
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