Dialogue

  1 Intro|           Protagoras on ‘Truth’ we know nothing, with the exception
  2 Intro|             Socrates, who does not know his name, recognizes him
  3 Intro|           fruit are most likely to know on what soil the plants
  4 Intro|         thoroughbred Sophists, who know all that can be known, would
  5 Intro|           child of Thaumas. Do you know the original principle on
  6 Intro| good-natured. But I should like to know, Socrates, whether you mean
  7 Intro|              Should we say that we know what we see and hear,—e.g.
  8 Intro|            he may remember and not know. Is not this a “reductio
  9 Intro|          He asks whether a man can know and not know at the same
 10 Intro|     whether a man can know and not know at the same time? ‘Impossible.’
 11 Intro|         and do not see, but do you know and not know? And a fresh
 12 Intro|            but do you know and not know? And a fresh opponent darts
 13 Intro|            He asks whether you can know near and not at a distance;
 14 Intro|            denied that a man might know and not know the same thing
 15 Intro|           a man might know and not know the same thing at the same
 16 Intro|   ancestors, male and female, they know no more than they can tell
 17 Intro|            that he was so eager to know what was going on in heaven,
 18 Intro|          who is most righteous. To know this is wisdom; and in comparison
 19 Intro|           example, be as likely to know when he is going to have
 20 Intro|           is a measure; but I, who know nothing, am not equally
 21 Intro|            future. For example; we know a thing to be hard or soft
 22 Intro|      stated as follows:—~Either we know or do not know a thing (
 23 Intro|           Either we know or do not know a thing (for the intermediate
 24 Intro|            opinion, we must either know or not know that which we
 25 Intro|            must either know or not know that which we think, and
 26 Intro|            we think, and we cannot know and be ignorant at the same
 27 Intro|          one thing which we do not know, with another thing which
 28 Intro|      another thing which we do not know; nor can we think that which
 29 Intro|         think that which we do not know to be that which we know,
 30 Intro|           know to be that which we know, or that which we know to
 31 Intro|          we know, or that which we know to be that which we do not
 32 Intro|            be that which we do not know. And what other case is
 33 Intro|         supposition that we either know or do not know all things?
 34 Intro|           we either know or do not know all things? Let us try another
 35 Intro|         think that which we do not know to be that which we know:
 36 Intro|           know to be that which we know: e.g. Theaetetus may know
 37 Intro|          know: e.g. Theaetetus may know Socrates, but at a distance
 38 Intro|          he knows one and does not know the other, and has no memorial
 39 Intro|   impossible); or when he does not know one, and does not know and
 40 Intro|         not know one, and does not know and does not perceive the
 41 Intro|         perceive one, and does not know and does not perceive the
 42 Intro|          he perceives and does not know, with what he knows, or
 43 Intro|           without knowledge. I may know Theodorus and Theaetetus
 44 Intro|            I may see them, and not know them. ‘That I understand.’
 45 Intro|         man knows what he does not know.~We are at our wit’s end,
 46 Intro|          been repeating the words ‘know,’ ‘understand,’ yet we do
 47 Intro|         understand,’ yet we do not know what knowledge is. ‘Why,
 48 Intro|     explain them now. The verb ‘to know’ has two senses, to have
 49 Intro|           supposing that we do not know what we know, because we
 50 Intro|        that we do not know what we know, because we may know in
 51 Intro|            we know, because we may know in one sense, i.e. possess,
 52 Intro|            possess, what we do not know in another, i.e. use. But
 53 Intro|         ignorance could make a man know, or that blindness could
 54 Intro|            either of them, and yet know both of them? There is,
 55 Intro|        planks of Hesiod. Or he may know the syllables of the name
 56 Intro|           on the other hand he may know the syllable ‘The’ in the
 57 Intro|          for not fancying that you know what you do not know. Observe
 58 Intro|           you know what you do not know. Observe the limits of my
 59 Intro|       possible? For we must either know or not know that which is
 60 Intro|            must either know or not know that which is presented
 61 Intro|           of knowledge; and we may know and have forgotten, or we
 62 Intro|    particular knowledge, or we may know but not be able to explain;’
 63 Intro|            be imagined in which we know and do not know at the same
 64 Intro|           which we know and do not know at the same time. But these
 65 Intro|        explanation. For how can we know a compound of which the
 66 Intro|          that they can; for we may know a compound, which we are
 67 Intro|         latter, it seems rather to know the conditions than the
 68 Intro|           we can. We eat before we know the nature of digestion;
 69 Intro|      digestion; we think before we know the nature of reflection.
 70 Intro|          principles which they all know and recognize: it gives
 71 Intro|         science, and we shall only know less of it by pretending
 72 Intro|        less of it by pretending to know more, or by assigning to
 73 Intro|       study is a practical one,—to know, first, human nature, and,
 74 Intro|         the causes of them. But we know them by their results, and
 75 Intro|           I dislike,’ ‘I fear,’ ‘I know,’ ‘I remember,’ ‘I imagine,’ ‘
 76 Intro|         knowledge when we not only know but know that we know. Consciousness
 77 Intro|          when we not only know but know that we know. Consciousness
 78 Intro|         only know but know that we know. Consciousness is opposed
 79  Thea|          youth, and I would rather know who among them are likely
 80  Thea|           Look and see whether you know him.~SOCRATES: I know the
 81  Thea|          you know him.~SOCRATES: I know the youth, but I do not
 82  Thea|            the youth, but I do not know his name; he is the son
 83  Thea|            wise in that which they know?~THEAETETUS: Certainly they
 84  Thea|          my question: we wanted to know not the subjects, nor yet
 85  Thea|       count them, but we wanted to know the nature of knowledge
 86  Thea|         anything, when he does not know the nature of it?~THEAETETUS:
 87  Thea|     SOCRATES: Then he who does not know what science or knowledge
 88  Thea|        birth.~THEAETETUS: I do not know, Socrates; I only say what
 89  Thea|        bearing.~THEAETETUS: Yes, I know.~SOCRATES: The reason of
 90  Thea|        because human nature cannot know the mystery of an art without
 91  Thea|         certain, that the midwives know better than others who is
 92  Thea|             will be most likely to know in what soils the several
 93  Thea|          nothing in them; and as I know that they have no need of
 94  Thea|         thoroughbred Sophists, who know all that can be known about
 95  Thea|           Gods I am! and I want to know what on earth they mean;
 96  Thea|        mouth?~THEAETETUS: I do not know what to say, Socrates; for,
 97  Thea|          my friend, that I neither know, nor profess to know, anything
 98  Thea|       neither know, nor profess to know, anything of these matters;
 99  Thea|           of other senses. For you know that in all these cases
100  Thea|         Indeed, Socrates, I do not know how to prove the one any
101  Thea|          who talks with me. I only know just enough to extract them
102  Thea|     SOCRATES: Shall we say that we know every thing which we see
103  Thea|         that we not only hear, but know what they are saying? Or
104  Thea|         that, seeing them, we must know them?~THEAETETUS: We shall
105  Thea|       shall say, Socrates, that we know what we actually see and
106  Thea|         that is to say, we see and know the figure and colour of
107  Thea|           letters, and we hear and know the elevation or depression
108  Thea|           by sight and hearing, or know, that which grammarians
109  Thea|           that which he knows, not know that which he remembers
110  Thea|         and remembers, can fail to know?~THEAETETUS: Impossible,
111  Thea|           may remember and yet not know, because he does not see;
112  Thea|           remembered could fail to know, and we showed that a person
113  Thea|         same time remember and not know. But this was an impossibility.
114  Thea|           which is this:—Can a man know and also not know that which
115  Thea|            a man know and also not know that which he knows?~THEODORUS:
116  Thea|           answer in what sense you know, but only whether you know
117  Thea|         know, but only whether you know that which you do not know.
118  Thea|         know that which you do not know. You have been proved to
119  Thea|     knowledge, and whether you can know near, but not at a distance,
120  Thea|          but not at a distance, or know the same thing with more
121  Thea|         man could remember and not know the same thing, and the
122  Thea|  acknowledge that the same man may know and not know the same thing?
123  Thea|          same man may know and not know the same thing? Or, if he
124  Thea|          do not sheer off until we know whether you are a true measure
125  Thea|            whither you will, for I know that you are like destiny;
126  Thea|             SOCRATES: But I do not know that we are going beyond
127  Thea|            that he was so eager to know what was going on in heaven,
128  Thea|            want of manhood. For to know this is true wisdom and
129  Thea|            are because they do not know it; for they do not know
130  Thea|           know it; for they do not know the penalty of injustice,
131  Thea|           all things they ought to know—not stripes and death, as
132  Thea|         true, my friend, as I well know; there is, however, one
133  Thea|      composition the musician will know better than the training
134  Thea|           is a measure: but I, who know nothing, am not at all obliged
135  Thea|         themselves, who profess to know them, are downright mad,
136  Thea|        THEODORUS: Indeed, I do not know what to answer; but I think
137  Thea|         must get a new language. I know of no word that will suit
138  Thea|      precise is, because I want to know whether, when we perceive
139  Thea|          which the soul aspires to know of herself.~SOCRATES: And
140  Thea|            likely to think that we know what we do not know—in either
141  Thea|        that we know what we do not know—in either case we shall
142  Thea|         which he knows or does not know?~THEAETETUS: He must.~SOCRATES:
143  Thea|           He who knows, cannot but know; and he who does not know,
144  Thea|          know; and he who does not know, cannot know?~THEAETETUS:
145  Thea|          who does not know, cannot know?~THEAETETUS: Of course.~
146  Thea|        something which he does not know as some other thing which
147  Thea|            thing which he does not know; for example, he knows neither
148  Thea|       knows to be what he does not know, or what he does not know
149  Thea|          know, or what he does not know to be what he knows?~THEAETETUS:
150  Thea|         knew to be what he did not know; and that there is a way
151  Thea|            at the time, that I may know Socrates, and at a distance
152  Thea|           absurdity that we should know and not know the things
153  Thea|        that we should know and not know the things which we know?~
154  Thea|           know the things which we know?~THEAETETUS: True.~SOCRATES:
155  Thea|            at one time you did not know?~THEAETETUS: Certainly you
156  Thea|           and that we remember and know what is imprinted as long
157  Thea|          then we forget and do not know.~THEAETETUS: Very good.~
158  Thea|   sometimes to be what he does not know. We were wrong before in
159  Thea|            knows one, and does not know, and has no impression of
160  Thea|            thing which he does not know is another thing which he
161  Thea|            thing which he does not know, or that what he does not
162  Thea|           or that what he does not know is what he knows; nor (2)
163  Thea|            thing which he does not know and does not perceive, is
164  Thea|            thing which he does not know and does not perceive;—nor
165  Thea|            thing which he does not know and does not perceive is
166  Thea|            thing which he does not know; or that a thing which he
167  Thea|            thing which he does not know and does not perceive is
168  Thea|          he perceives and does not know, are some other things which
169  Thea|         still I remember them, and know them in my own mind.~THEAETETUS:
170  Thea|         And that which he does not know will sometimes not be perceived
171  Thea|         can never think him whom I know to be him whom I do not
172  Thea|            to be him whom I do not know.~THEAETETUS: True.~SOCRATES:
173  Thea|           one of you whom I do not know is the other whom I do not
174  Thea|            the other whom I do not know. I need not again go over
175  Thea|           Theodorus, either when I know both or when I am in ignorance
176  Thea|       ignorance of both, or when I know one and not the other. And
177  Thea|         SOCRATES: Or again, when I know both of you, and perceive
178  Thea|            and perceive as well as know one of you, but not the
179  Thea|        things which a man does not know and has never perceived,
180  Thea|     positive despair; for I do not know what to answer if any one
181  Thea|            person would inevitably know and not know the same thing
182  Thea|            inevitably know and not know the same thing at the same
183  Thea|       exist, or that a man may not know that which he knows;— which
184  Thea|            to explain the verb ‘to know.’~THEAETETUS: And why should
185  Thea|        which we are assumed not to know the nature.~THEAETETUS:
186  Thea|           shameless when we do not know what knowledge is, to be
187  Thea|            explaining the verb ‘to know’? The truth is, Theaetetus,
188  Thea|          we repeated the words ‘we know,’ and ‘do not know,’ and ‘
189  Thea|       words ‘we know,’ and ‘do not know,’ and ‘we have or have not
190  Thea|        explanation of the verb ‘to know’?~THEAETETUS: I think so,
191  Thea|          They explain the word ‘to know’ as meaning ‘to have knowledge.’~
192  Thea|          knowledge: and this is to know.~THEAETETUS: Granted.~SOCRATES:
193  Thea|           aviary he may be said to know them.~THEAETETUS: Exactly.~
194  Thea|          the perfect arithmetician know all numbers, for he has
195  Thea|            knows, as if he did not know it, for we have already
196  Thea|            number what he does not know, although we have admitted
197  Thea|           in no case can a man not know that which he knows, but
198  Thea|          his mind, he should still know nothing and be ignorant
199  Thea|           ignorance may make a man know, and blindness make him
200  Thea|          the one which he does not know? or the one which he does
201  Thea|          the one which he does not know to be the one which he knows?
202  Thea|            which he may be said to know while he possesses them,
203  Thea|         Indeed, Socrates, I do not know what we are to say.~SOCRATES:
204  Thea|         for false opinion until we know what knowledge is; that
205  Thea|        about matters which you can know only by seeing them, and
206  Thea|          he said, and then I shall know whether you and I have heard
207  Thea|         tale.~THEAETETUS: I do not know whether I can recall it;
208  Thea|            SOCRATES: We shall soon know; for we have as hostages
209  Thea|            who knows the syllable, know both of them?~THEAETETUS:
210  Thea|           of either singly and yet know both together?~THEAETETUS:
211  Thea|         SOCRATES: But if he cannot know both without knowing each,
212  Thea|        each, then if he is ever to know the syllable, he must know
213  Thea|         know the syllable, he must know the letters first; and thus
214  Thea|     letters and syllables which we know to other simples and compounds,
215  Thea|           my friend; but I want to know first, whether you admit
216  Thea|          it from other things will know that of which before he
217  Thea|  definition, had used the word to ‘know,’ and not merely ‘have an
218  Thea|            to a pretty end, for to know is surely to acquire knowledge.~
219  Thea|           modest to fancy that you know what you do not know. These
220  Thea|           you know what you do not know. These are the limits of
221  Thea|            no further go, nor do I know aught of the things which
222  Thea|         which great and famous men know or have known in this or