THEAETETUS [42]
it from other things will know that
of which before he had only an opinion.
Theaet. Yes; that is what we are maintaining.
Soc. Nevertheless, Theaetetus, on a nearer view, I find myself quite
disappointed; the picture, which at a distance was not so bad, has now
become altogether unintelligible.
Theaet. What do you mean?
Soc. I will endeavour to explain: I will suppose myself to have true
opinion of you, and if to this I add your definition, then I have
knowledge, but if not, opinion only.
Theaet. Yes.
Soc. The definition was assumed to be the interpretation of your
difference.
Theaet. True.
Soc. But when I had only opinion, I had no conception of your
distinguishing characteristics.
Theaet. I suppose not.
Soc. Then I must have conceived of some general or common nature
which no more belonged to you than to another.
Theaet. True.
Soc. Tell me, now-How in that case could I have formed a judgment of
you any more than of any one else? Suppose that I imagine Theaetetus
to be a man who has nose, eyes, and mouth, and every other member
complete; how would that enable me to distinguish Theaetetus from
Theodorus, or from some outer barbarian?
Theaet. How could it?
Soc. Or if I had further conceived of you, not only as having nose
and eyes, but as having a snub nose and prominent eyes, should I
have any more notion of you than of myself and others who resemble me?
Theaet. Certainly not.
Soc. Surely I can have no conception of Theaetetus until your
snub-nosedness has left an impression on my mind different from the
snub-nosedness of all others whom I have ever seen, and until your
other peculiarities have a like distinctness; and so when I meet you
tomorrow the right opinion will be re-called?
Theaet. Most true.
Soc. Then right opinion implies the perception of differences?
Theaet. Clearly.
Soc. What, then, shall we say of adding reason or explanation to
right opinion? If the meaning is, that we should form an opinion of
the way in which something differs from another thing, the proposal is
ridiculous.
Theaet. How so?
Soc. We are supposed to acquire a right opinion of the differences
which distinguish one thing from another when we have already a
right opinion of them, and so we go round and round:-the revolution of
the scytal, or pestle, or any other rotatory machine, in the same
circles, is as nothing compared with such a requirement; and we may be
truly described as the blind directing the blind; for to add those
things which we already have, in order that we may learn what we
already think, is like a soul utterly benighted.
Theaet. Tell me; what were you going to say just now, when you asked
the question?
Soc. If, my boy, the argument, in speaking of adding the definition,
had used the word to "know," and not merely "have an opinion" of the
difference, this which is the most promising of all the definitions of
knowledge would have come to a pretty end, for to know is surely to
acquire knowledge.
Theaet. True.
Soc. And so, when the question is asked, What is knowledge? this
fair argument will answer "Right opinion with knowledge,"-knowledge,
that is, of difference, for this, as the said argument maintains, is
adding the definition.
Theaet. That seems to be true.
Soc. But how utterly foolish, when we are asking what is
knowledge, that the reply should only be, right opinion with knowledge
of difference or of anything! And so, Theaetetus, knowledge is neither
sensation nor true opinion, nor yet definition and explanation
accompanying and added to true opinion?
Theaet. I suppose not.
Soc. And are you still in labour and travail, my dear friend, or
have you brought all that you have to say about knowledge to the
birth?
Theaet. I am sure, Socrates, that you have elicited from me a good
deal more than ever was in me.
Soc. And does not my art show that you have brought forth wind,
and that the offspring of your brain are not
of which before he had only an opinion.
Theaet. Yes; that is what we are maintaining.
Soc. Nevertheless, Theaetetus, on a nearer view, I find myself quite
disappointed; the picture, which at a distance was not so bad, has now
become altogether unintelligible.
Theaet. What do you mean?
Soc. I will endeavour to explain: I will suppose myself to have true
opinion of you, and if to this I add your definition, then I have
knowledge, but if not, opinion only.
Theaet. Yes.
Soc. The definition was assumed to be the interpretation of your
difference.
Theaet. True.
Soc. But when I had only opinion, I had no conception of your
distinguishing characteristics.
Theaet. I suppose not.
Soc. Then I must have conceived of some general or common nature
which no more belonged to you than to another.
Theaet. True.
Soc. Tell me, now-How in that case could I have formed a judgment of
you any more than of any one else? Suppose that I imagine Theaetetus
to be a man who has nose, eyes, and mouth, and every other member
complete; how would that enable me to distinguish Theaetetus from
Theodorus, or from some outer barbarian?
Theaet. How could it?
Soc. Or if I had further conceived of you, not only as having nose
and eyes, but as having a snub nose and prominent eyes, should I
have any more notion of you than of myself and others who resemble me?
Theaet. Certainly not.
Soc. Surely I can have no conception of Theaetetus until your
snub-nosedness has left an impression on my mind different from the
snub-nosedness of all others whom I have ever seen, and until your
other peculiarities have a like distinctness; and so when I meet you
tomorrow the right opinion will be re-called?
Theaet. Most true.
Soc. Then right opinion implies the perception of differences?
Theaet. Clearly.
Soc. What, then, shall we say of adding reason or explanation to
right opinion? If the meaning is, that we should form an opinion of
the way in which something differs from another thing, the proposal is
ridiculous.
Theaet. How so?
Soc. We are supposed to acquire a right opinion of the differences
which distinguish one thing from another when we have already a
right opinion of them, and so we go round and round:-the revolution of
the scytal, or pestle, or any other rotatory machine, in the same
circles, is as nothing compared with such a requirement; and we may be
truly described as the blind directing the blind; for to add those
things which we already have, in order that we may learn what we
already think, is like a soul utterly benighted.
Theaet. Tell me; what were you going to say just now, when you asked
the question?
Soc. If, my boy, the argument, in speaking of adding the definition,
had used the word to "know," and not merely "have an opinion" of the
difference, this which is the most promising of all the definitions of
knowledge would have come to a pretty end, for to know is surely to
acquire knowledge.
Theaet. True.
Soc. And so, when the question is asked, What is knowledge? this
fair argument will answer "Right opinion with knowledge,"-knowledge,
that is, of difference, for this, as the said argument maintains, is
adding the definition.
Theaet. That seems to be true.
Soc. But how utterly foolish, when we are asking what is
knowledge, that the reply should only be, right opinion with knowledge
of difference or of anything! And so, Theaetetus, knowledge is neither
sensation nor true opinion, nor yet definition and explanation
accompanying and added to true opinion?
Theaet. I suppose not.
Soc. And are you still in labour and travail, my dear friend, or
have you brought all that you have to say about knowledge to the
birth?
Theaet. I am sure, Socrates, that you have elicited from me a good
deal more than ever was in me.
Soc. And does not my art show that you have brought forth wind,
and that the offspring of your brain are not