THEAETETUS [36]
we are not driven to the inference that he does not
possess what he possesses, whether he be or be not deceived. And yet I
fear that a greater difficulty is looking in at the window.
Theaet. What is it?
Soc. How can the exchange of one knowledge for another ever become
false opinion?
Theaet. What do you mean?
Soc. In the first place, how can a man who has the knowledge of
anything be ignorant of that which he knows, not by reason of
ignorance, but by reason of his own knowledge? And, again, is it not
an extreme absurdity that he should suppose another thing to be
this, and this to be another thing;-that, having knowledge present
with him in his mind, he should still know nothing and be ignorant
of all things?-you might as well argue that ignorance may make a man
know, and blindness make him see, as that knowledge can make him
ignorant.
Theaet. Perhaps, Socrates, we may have been wrong in making only
forms of knowledge our birds: whereas there ought to have been forms
of ignorance as well, flying about together in the mind, and then he
who sought to take one of them might sometimes catch a form of
knowledge, and sometimes a form of ignorance; and thus he would have a
false opinion from ignorance, but a true one from knowledge, about the
same thing.
Soc. I cannot help praising you, Theaetetus, and yet I must beg
you to reconsider your words. Let us grant what you say-then,
according to you, he who takes ignorance will have a false
opinion-am I right?
Theaet. Yes.
Soc. He will certainly not think that he has a false opinion?
Theaet. Of course not.
Soc. He will think that his opinion is true, and he will fancy
that he knows the things about which he has been deceived?
Theaet. Certainly.
Soc. Then he will think that he has captured knowledge and not
ignorance?
Theaet. Clearly.
Soc. And thus, after going a long way round, we are once more face
to face with our original difficulty. The hero of dialectic will
retort upon us:-"O my excellent friends, he will say, laughing, if a
man knows the form of ignorance and the form of knowledge, can he
think that one of them which he knows is the other which he knows? or,
if he knows neither of them, can he think that the one which he
knows not is another which he knows not? or, if he knows one and not
the other, can he think the one which he knows to be the one which
he does not know? or the one which he does not know to be the one
which he knows? or will you tell me that there are other forms of
knowledge which distinguish the right and wrong birds, and which the
owner keeps in some other aviaries or graven on waxen blocks according
to your foolish images, and which he may be said to know while he
possesses them, even though he have them not at hand in his mind?
And thus, in a perpetual circle, you will be compelled to go round and
round, and you will make no progress." What are we to say in reply,
Theaetetus?
Theaet. Indeed, Socrates, I do not know what we are to say.
Soc. Are not his reproaches just, and does not the argument truly
show that we are wrong in seeking for false opinion until we know what
knowledge is; that must be first ascertained; then, the nature of
false opinion?
Theaet. I cannot but agree with you, Socrates, so far as we have yet
gone.
Soc. Then, once more, what shall we say that knowledge is?-for we
are not going to lose heart as yet.
Theaet. Certainly, I shall not lose heart, if you do not.
Soc. What definition will be most consistent with our former views?
Theaet. I cannot think of any but our old one, Socrates.
Soc. What was it?
Theaet. Knowledge was said by us to be true opinion; and true
opinion is surely unerring, and the results which follow from it are
all noble and good.
Soc. He who led the way into the river, Theaetetus, said "The
experiment will show"; and perhaps if we go forward in the search,
we may stumble upon the thing which we are looking for; but if we stay
where
possess what he possesses, whether he be or be not deceived. And yet I
fear that a greater difficulty is looking in at the window.
Theaet. What is it?
Soc. How can the exchange of one knowledge for another ever become
false opinion?
Theaet. What do you mean?
Soc. In the first place, how can a man who has the knowledge of
anything be ignorant of that which he knows, not by reason of
ignorance, but by reason of his own knowledge? And, again, is it not
an extreme absurdity that he should suppose another thing to be
this, and this to be another thing;-that, having knowledge present
with him in his mind, he should still know nothing and be ignorant
of all things?-you might as well argue that ignorance may make a man
know, and blindness make him see, as that knowledge can make him
ignorant.
Theaet. Perhaps, Socrates, we may have been wrong in making only
forms of knowledge our birds: whereas there ought to have been forms
of ignorance as well, flying about together in the mind, and then he
who sought to take one of them might sometimes catch a form of
knowledge, and sometimes a form of ignorance; and thus he would have a
false opinion from ignorance, but a true one from knowledge, about the
same thing.
Soc. I cannot help praising you, Theaetetus, and yet I must beg
you to reconsider your words. Let us grant what you say-then,
according to you, he who takes ignorance will have a false
opinion-am I right?
Theaet. Yes.
Soc. He will certainly not think that he has a false opinion?
Theaet. Of course not.
Soc. He will think that his opinion is true, and he will fancy
that he knows the things about which he has been deceived?
Theaet. Certainly.
Soc. Then he will think that he has captured knowledge and not
ignorance?
Theaet. Clearly.
Soc. And thus, after going a long way round, we are once more face
to face with our original difficulty. The hero of dialectic will
retort upon us:-"O my excellent friends, he will say, laughing, if a
man knows the form of ignorance and the form of knowledge, can he
think that one of them which he knows is the other which he knows? or,
if he knows neither of them, can he think that the one which he
knows not is another which he knows not? or, if he knows one and not
the other, can he think the one which he knows to be the one which
he does not know? or the one which he does not know to be the one
which he knows? or will you tell me that there are other forms of
knowledge which distinguish the right and wrong birds, and which the
owner keeps in some other aviaries or graven on waxen blocks according
to your foolish images, and which he may be said to know while he
possesses them, even though he have them not at hand in his mind?
And thus, in a perpetual circle, you will be compelled to go round and
round, and you will make no progress." What are we to say in reply,
Theaetetus?
Theaet. Indeed, Socrates, I do not know what we are to say.
Soc. Are not his reproaches just, and does not the argument truly
show that we are wrong in seeking for false opinion until we know what
knowledge is; that must be first ascertained; then, the nature of
false opinion?
Theaet. I cannot but agree with you, Socrates, so far as we have yet
gone.
Soc. Then, once more, what shall we say that knowledge is?-for we
are not going to lose heart as yet.
Theaet. Certainly, I shall not lose heart, if you do not.
Soc. What definition will be most consistent with our former views?
Theaet. I cannot think of any but our old one, Socrates.
Soc. What was it?
Theaet. Knowledge was said by us to be true opinion; and true
opinion is surely unerring, and the results which follow from it are
all noble and good.
Soc. He who led the way into the river, Theaetetus, said "The
experiment will show"; and perhaps if we go forward in the search,
we may stumble upon the thing which we are looking for; but if we stay
where