Sophist – Plato
THEAETETUS: That is true.
THEAETETUS: What questions?
STRANGER: And thus we provide a rich feast STRANGER: Shall we refuse to attribute being for tyros, whether young or old; for there is noth-to motion and rest, or anything to anything, and ing easier than to argue that the one cannot be assume that they do not mingle, and are inca-many, or the many one; and great is their depable of participating in one another? Or shall light in denying that a man is good; for man, we gather all into one class of things communi-they insist, is man and good is good. I dare say cable with one another? Or are some things com-that you have met with persons who take an in-municable and others not?—Which of these al-terest in such matters—they are often elderly ternatives, Theaetetus, will they prefer?
men, whose meagre sense is thrown into amaze-ment by these discoveries of theirs, which they THEAETETUS: I have nothing to answer on their believe to be the height of wisdom.
behalf. Suppose that you take all these hypotheses in turn, and see what are the consequences THEAETETUS: Certainly, I have.
which follow from each of them.
STRANGER: Then, not to exclude any one who STRANGER: Very good, and first let us assume has ever speculated at all upon the nature of them to say that nothing is capable of partici-being, let us put our questions to them as well pating in anything else in any respect; in that as to our former friends.
case rest and motion cannot participate in being at all.