Dialogues

not be true that it never appears exactly the same to you, because you are never exactly the same? Theaetetus The latter. Socrates And if that with which I compare myself in size,309 or which I apprehend by touch, were great or white or hot, it could not become different by mere contact with another unless it actually changed; nor again, if the comparing or apprehending subject were great or white or hot, could this, when unchanged from within, become changed by any approximation or affection of any other thing. The fact is that in our ordinary way of speaking we allow ourselves to be driven into most ridiculous and wonderful contradictions, as Protagoras and all who take his line of argument would remark. Theaetetus How? and of what sort do you mean? Socrates A little instance will sufficiently explain my meaning: Here are six dice, which are more by a half when compared with four, and fewer by a half than twelve⁠—they are more and also fewer. How can you or anyone maintain the contrary? Theaetetus Very true. Socrates Well, then, suppose that Protagoras or someone asks whether anything can become greater or more if not by increasing, how would you answer him, Theaetetus? Theaetetus I should say “No,” Socrates, if I were to speak my mind in reference to this last question, and if I were not afraid of contradicting my former answer. Socrates Capital! excellent! spoken like an oracle, my boy! And if you reply “Yes,” there will be a case for Euripides; for our tongue will be unconvinced, but not our mind.310 Theaetetus Very true. Socrates The thoroughbred Sophists, who know all that can be known about the mind, and argue only out of the superfluity of their wits, would have had a regular sparring-match over this, and would have knocked their arguments together finely. But you and I, who have no professional aims, only desire to see what is the mutual relation of these principles⁠—whether they are consistent with each or not. Theaetetus Yes, that would be my desire. Socrates And mine too. But since this is our feeling, and there is plenty of time, why should we not calmly and patiently review our own thoughts, and thoroughly examine and see what these appearances in us really are? If I am not mistaken, they will be described by us as follows:⁠—first, that nothing can become greater or less, either in number or magnitude, while remaining equal to itself⁠—you would agree? Theaetetus Yes. Socrates Secondly, that without addition or subtraction there is no increase or diminution of anything, but only equality. Theaetetus Quite true. Socrates Thirdly, that what was not before cannot be afterwards, without becoming and having become. Theaetetus Yes, truly. Socrates These three axioms, if I am not mistaken, are fighting with one another in our minds in the case of the dice, or, again, in such a case as this⁠—if I were to say that I, who am of a certain height and taller than you, may within a year, without gaining or losing in height, be not so tall⁠—not that I should have lost, but that you would have increased. In such a case, I am afterwards what I once was not, and yet I have not become; for I could not have become without becoming, neither could I have become less without losing somewhat of my height; and I could give you ten thousand examples of similar contradictions, if we admit them at all. I believe that you follow me, Theaetetus; for I suspect that you have thought of these questions before now. Theaetetus Yes, Socrates, and I am amazed when I think of them; by the Gods I am! and I want to know what on earth they mean; and there are times when my head quite swims with the contemplation of them. Socrates I see, my dear Theaetetus, that Theodorus had a true insight into your nature when he said that you were a philosopher, for wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder. He was not a bad genealogist who said that Iris (the messenger of heaven) is the child of Thaumas (wonder). But do you begin to see what is the explanation of this perplexity on the hypothesis which we attribute to Protagoras? Theaetetus Not as yet. Socrates Then you will be obliged to me if I help you to unearth the hidden “truth” of a famous man or school. Theaetetus To be sure, I shall be very much obliged. Socrates Take a look round, then, and see that none of the uninitiated are listening. Now by the uninitiated I mean the people who believe in nothing but what they can grasp in their hands, and who will not allow that action or generation or anything invisible can have real existence. Theaetetus Yes, indeed, Socrates, they are very hard and impenetrable mortals. Socrates Yes, my boy, outer barbarians. Far more ingenious are the brethren whose mysteries I am about to reveal to you. Their first principle is, that all is motion, and upon this all the affections of which we were just now speaking are supposed to depend: there is nothing but motion, which has two forms, one active and the other passive, both in endless number; and out of the union and friction of them there is generated a progeny endless in number, having two forms, sense and the object of sense, which are ever breaking forth and coming to the birth at the same moment. The senses are variously named hearing, seeing, smelling; there is the sense of heat, cold, pleasure, pain, desire, fear, and many more which have names, as well as innumerable others which are without them; each has its kindred object⁠—each variety of colour has a corresponding variety of sight, and so with sound and hearing, and with the rest of the senses and the objects akin to them. Do you see, Theaetetus, the bearings of this tale on the preceding argument? Theaetetus Indeed I do not. Socrates Then attend, and I will try