友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
读书室 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

sophist-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!

the upper part; which is farther off; would appear to be out of

proportion in comparison with the lower; which is nearer; and so

they give up the truth in their images and make only the proportions

which appear to be beautiful; disregarding the real ones。

  Theaet。 Quite true。

  Str。 And that which being other is also like; may we not 

fairly call

a likeness or image?

  Theaet。 Yes。

  Str。 And may we not; as I did just now; call that part of the

imitative art which is concerned with making such images the art of

likeness making?

  Theaet。 Let that be the name。

  Str。 And what shall we call those resemblances of the beautiful;

which appear such owing to the unfavourable position of the 

spectator;

whereas if a person had the power of getting a correct view of works

of such magnitude; they would appear not even like that to which

they profess to be like? May we not call these 〃appearances;〃 since

they appear only and are not really like?

  Theaet。 Certainly。

  Str。 There is a great deal of this kind of thing in 

painting; and in

all imitation。

  Theaet。 Of course。

  Str。 And may we not fairly call the sort of art; which produces an

appearance and not an image; phantastic art?

  Theaet。 Most fairly。

  Str。 These then are the two kinds of image making…the art of

making likenesses; and phantastic or the art of making appearances?

  Theaet。 True。

  Str。 I was doubtful before in which of them I should place the

Sophist; nor am I even now able to see clearly; verily he is a

wonderful and inscrutable creature。 And now in the cleverest 

manner he

has got into an impossible place。

  Theaet。 Yes; he has。

  Str。 Do you speak advisedly; or are you carried away at the moment

by the habit of assenting into giving a hasty answer?

  Theaet。 May I ask to what you are referring?

  Str。 My dear friend; we are engaged in a very difficult

speculation…there can be no doubt of that; for how a thing can

appear and seem; and not be; or how a man can say a thing 

which is not

true; has always been and still remains a very perplexing question。

Can any one say or think that falsehood really exists; and 

avoid being

caught in a contradiction? Indeed; Theaetetus; the task is a 

difficult

one。

  Theaet。 Why?

  Str。 He who says that falsehood exists has the audacity to assert

the being of not…being; for this is implied in the possibility of

falsehood。 But; my boy; in the days when I was a boy; the great

Parmenides protested against this doctrine; and to the end 

of his life

he continued to inculcate the same lesson…always repeating both in

verse and out of verse:



   Keep your mind from this way of enquiry; for never will you show

that not…being is



Such is his testimony; which is confirmed by the very expression

when sifted a little。 Would you object to begin with the 

consideration

of the words themselves?

  Theaet。 Never mind about me; I am only desirous that you should

carry on the argument in the best way; and that you should take me

with you。

  Str。 Very good; and now say; do we venture to utter the forbidden

word 〃not…being〃?

  Theaet。 Certainly we do。

  Str。 Let us be serious then; and consider the question neither in

strife nor play: suppose that one of the hearers of Parmenides was

asked; 〃To is the term 'not…being' to be applied?〃…do you know what

sort of object he would single out in reply; and what answer he

would make to the enquirer?

  Theaet。 That is a difficult question; and one not to be answered

at all by a person like myself。

  Str。 There is at any rate no difficulty in seeing that the 

predicate

〃not…being〃 is not applicable to any being。

  Theaet。 None; certainly。

  Str。 And if not to being; then not to something。

  Theaet。 Of course not。

  Str。 It is also plain; that in speaking of something we speak of

being; for to speak of an abstract something naked and isolated from

all being is impossible。

  Theaet。 Impossible。

  Str。 You mean by assenting to imply that he who says something

must say some one thing?

  Theaet。 Yes。

  Str。 Some in the singular (ti) you would say is the sign of one;

some in the dual (tine) of two; some in the plural (tines) of many?

  Theaet。 Exactly。

  Str。 Then he who says 〃not something〃 must say absolutely nothing。

  Theaet。 Most assuredly。

  Str。 And as we cannot admit that a man speaks and says nothing; he

who says 〃not…being〃 does not speak at all。

  Theaet。 The difficulty of the argument can no further go。

  Str。 Not yet; my friend; is the time for such a word; for there

still remains of all perplexities the first and greatest; 

touching the

very foundation of the matter。

  Theaet。 What do you mean? Do not be afraid to speak。

  Str。 To that which is; may be attributed some other thing which is?

  Theaet。 Certainly。

  Str。 But can anything which is; be attributed to that which is not?

  Theaet。 Impossible。

  Str。 And all number is to be reckoned among things which are?

  Theaet。 Yes; surely number; if anything; has a real existence。

  Str。 Then we must not attempt to attribute to not…being number

either in the singular or plural?

  Theaet。 The argument implies that we should be wrong in doing so。

  Str。 But how can a man either express in words or even conceive in

thought things which are not or a thing which is not without number?

  Theaet。 How indeed?

  Str。 When we speak of things which are not attributing plurality

to not…being?

  Theaet。 Certainly。

  Str。 But; on the other hand; when we say 〃what is not;〃 do we not

attribute unity?

  Theaet。 Manifestly。

  Str。 Nevertheless; we maintain that you may not and ought not to

attribute being to not…being?

  Theaet。 Most true。

  Str。 Do you see; then; that not…being in itself can neither be

spoken; uttered; or thought; but that it is unthinkable;

unutterable; unspeakable; indescribable?

  Theaet。 Quite true。

  Str。 But; if so; I was wrong in telling you just now that the

difficulty which was coming is the greatest of all。

  Theaet。 What! is there a greater still behind?

  Str。 Well; I am surprised; after what has been said already; that

you do not see the difficulty in which he who would refute the

notion of not…being is involved。 For he is compelled to contradict

himself as soon as he makes the attempt。

  Theaet。 What do you mean? Speak more clearly。

  Str。 Do not expect clearness from me。 For I; who maintain that

not…being has no part either in the one or many; just now 

spoke and am

still speaking of not…being as one; for I say 〃not…being。〃 Do you

understand?

  Theaet。 Yes。

  Str。 And a little while ago I said that not…being is unutterable;

unspeakable; indescribable: do you follow?

  Theaet。 I do after a fashion。

  Str。 When I introduced the word 〃is;〃 did I not contradict what I

said before?

  Theaet。 Clearly。

  Str。 And in using the singular verb; did I not speak of 

not…being as

one?

  Theaet。 Yes。

  Str。 And when I spoke of not…being as indescribable and

unspeakable and unutterable; in using each of these words in the

singular; did I not refer to not…being as one?

  Theaet。 Certainly。

  Str。 And yet we say that; strictly speaking; it should not be

defined as one or many; and should not even be called 〃it;〃 for the

use of the word 〃it〃 would imply a form of unity。

  Theaet。 Quite true。

  Str。 How; then; can any one put any faith in me? For now; 

as always;

I am unequal to the refutation of not…being。 And therefore; as I was

saying; do not look to me for the right way of speaking about

not…being; but come; let us try the experiment with you。

  Theaet。 What do you mean?

  Str。 Make a noble effort; as becomes youth; and endeavour with all

your might to speak of not…being in a right manner; without

introducing into it either existence or unity or plurality。

  Theaet。 It would be a strange boldness in me which would 

attempt the

task when I see you thus discomfited。

  Str。 Say no more of ourselves; but until we find some one or other

who can speak of not…being without number; we must acknowledge that

the Sophist is a clever rogue who will not be got out of his hole。

  Theaet。 Most true。

  Str。 And if we say to him that he professes an art of making

appearances; he will grapple with us and retort our argument upon

ourselves; and when we call him an image…maker he will say; 

〃Pray what

do you mean at all by an image?〃 …and I should like to know;

Theaetetus; how we can possibly answer the younker's question?

  Theaet。 We shall doubtless tell him of the images which are

reflected in water or in mirrors; also of sculptures; pictures; and

other duplicates。

  Str。 I see; Theaetetus; that you have never made the 

acquaintance of

the Sophist。

  Theaet。 Why do you think so?

  Str。 He will make believe to have his eyes shut; or to have none。

  Theaet。 What do you mean?

  Str。 When you tell him of something existing in a mirror; or in

sculpture; and address him as though he had eyes; he will 

laugh you to

scorn; and will pretend that he knows nothing of mirrors and

streams; or of sight at all; he wi
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!