False Judgement In Theaetetus

Improved Essays
The dialogue of Theaetetus, written by the Greek philosopher Plato, discusses the idea of knowledge with the help of Socrates, Theaetetus and Theodorus. The question of What is Knowledge, is proposed by Socrates, who then aids Theaetetus in making this discovery. Theaetetus comes up with three possible hypotheses, one after another that are as follows: (I) Knowledge is perception, (II) knowledge is true judgement, and (III) knowledge is true judgement with logos. While Socrates helps in the discovery of theses hypotheses, he soon after sets out to challenge Theaetetus on his thinking and logic. As the teacher, Socrates goal in invoking the rejection of each of these statements is to guide Theaetetus to better clarity of the question, as well …show more content…
This needs to be done in order to properly exclude false judgements when defining and attaining knowledge. The primary difficulty of distinguishing a false judgement from a true resides in the conflict of “… that there is, on every occasion, a false judgement, and that one of us judges what’s true and the other what’s false…?”. By defining a false judgement, conflicts can be avoided, but the question of knowledge when one unknowingly makes a false judgement prevails. Socrates proposes to Theaetetus the challenge of “someone who judges what’s false. Is he thinking that thing he knows are not those things but other things he knows? Is it that he knows both sets of things but on the other hand is ignorant of both sets of things?”. Socrates is searching for an answer to whether that is ignorance or something different, so as not to be …show more content…
Socrates gives three definitions for a Logos, but with examination, none can withstand Socrates’ rejection. The first definition proposed is that a logos is the ability “to make one’s thought plain by means of speech, with expressions and names” , but the problem Socrates finds with this proposition is that it is something most anyone could discover, and there would be no room for correct judgement, which is not a thing that knowledge would be. The second proposed definition of a Logos is to give “an answer in terms of its elements.”. However, as previously discovered, one cannot give an account to the elements, as it is impossible if and when they are true elements. This brings to light a new dilemma, where the then proposed complex is formed unknowable elements. The third and final proposed definition of a logos is “being able to state some mark by which the thing one is asked for differs from everything else.”. But to find a statement that can clearly make one thing differ in all matters from all others is nearly an impossible feat, so Socrates concludes that this statement, too, does not withstand his

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Logos is one of Aristotle’s three persuasive methods. It uses a logical appeal, provides…

    • 316 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Traceel Andrews Paper # 3 Is Justified True Belief Knowledge? – Edmund Gettier Gettier paper argued that for a thought to be considered justified there needs to be a necessary condition and that a third condition needs to be introduced for S to believe namely Q. Gettier talks about three other philosophers ideals and states that their ideas are wrong. Plato’s Theaetetus and Meno In Theaetetus, Plato through Socrates fumble with what knowledge is.…

    • 1027 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Both Plato and Cornel West demonstrate important ways of teaching a student how to think in a similar way. One way being how being wrong can be beneficial throughout their stories the “Apology” and “On My Intellectual Vacation.” In Cornel West “On My Intellectual Vacation” When he notions towards being wrong is beneficial on page 24 “In other words it is not a matter of pointing fingers or calling name, but really showing that you are in the very mess that you are trying to grasp. Moreover this tends to open people up a little bit.…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Plato's The Crito Argument

    • 1769 Words
    • 7 Pages

    One such argument Socrates presents is if “there someone who has knowledge”(47d) or is there an expert of the…

    • 1769 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1. (250 words max.) Heraclitus says the following: “Of the Logos which is as I describe it men always prove to be uncomprehending” (KRS fr. 194). What is this “logos” that is so incomprehensible for human beings?…

    • 921 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The highest form of knowledge is truth. One needs to be seeking the truth in order to receive knowledge. Socrates knows that he does not know. This is what makes Socrates the smartest guy around. The oracle at Delphi told Socrates to search out for a man that is wiser then himself and while trying to do this Socrates could not find this.…

    • 1222 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Plato 's argument of recollection in Meno tries to solve the puzzle of how knowledge is acquired or learned. Plato, a classical Greek philosopher who is a famous writer. In Plato 's Meno Socrates , a philosopher who questions a slave into recollecting prior knowledge and not drawing any conclusions from information that is being ask of him for the first time. Plato 's idea of true knowledge is based on its usual nature and his theory of recollection, that suggest that all knowledge can be recollected through intelligence. To question is necessary for this ideas of knowledge to be true.…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Set during the socratic age of philosophy, The Apology by Plato chronicles the trial of Socrates on the charges of corruption of youth and not believing in the Gods. Plato, a young follower and apprentice of Socrates, documents the trial in its’ entirety from beginning to the unfortunate end in which Socrates is sentenced to death. The Apology is the trial of Socrates on a very basic and literal level but upon further inspection, one comes to realize that not only the philosopher is on trial but philosophy itself. Throughout the piece, Socrates attempts to convince the jury of philosophy’s worth and also criticize the condition of man. Furthermore, the recounting of the trial is also a protest of the hypocrisy within the Greek society that…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Plato’s work Meno, Socrates and Meno discuss the ability to learn. They argue that there is no true learning, only recollection and remembering topics. Meno’s Paradox is presented in this work and essentially states that there is no way for humankind to learn. I wholeheartedly disagree with Meno’s statement on the capability of acquiring new knowledge. In my paper, I will explain Meno’s Paradox and Socrates’s claim about recollection.…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Socrates is an avid supporter of self-knowledge, of better understanding yourself and your nature. From this better understanding of self comes an increased knowledge of right and wrong. Socrates’ main concern is acting justly and ethically. Knowledge of what is just and ethical comes from constantly…

    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Was Socrates guilty as charged?" Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher, is linked with Western systems of logic and philosophy. At an early age, he served in the hoplite-ancient Greek infantry, and later devoted his life to philosophy. His rather unique perspective and wisdom in philosophy attracted friends and enemies at the same time. Socrates metaphorically was the gadfly that stung the horse- Athenian state.…

    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The purpose of the Theaetetus is to examine how the mind accounts for knowledge by seeking an answer to the question Socrates poses to Theaetetus, what is knowledge? (146A). After a few failed attempts at answering, Theaetetus posits that knowledge is true opinion (187B). Socrates responds that in order for one to know what true opinion is, he must also account for false opinion in the mind. Ultimately, while the dialogue produces no operative definition for knowledge, Plato employs this dialogue to sharpen his arguments for what are and are not the brackets of knowledge.…

    • 1871 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Socrates claims that true opinion becomes knowledge when one provides a reason for why the opinion is true. In other words, true opinion becomes knowledge when one justifies it. Through several thought experiments I will attempt to show that Socrates is right in declaring that knowledge is more valuable than true opinion. I will start with the…

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Oedipus Ignorance Analysis

    • 1248 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Ignorance and insight go hand in hand when analyzing themes in, Oedipus the King. Ignorance can occur from a lack of knowledge or information, and it can be caused by a person’s disregard for the truth. Oedipus is both unknowledgeable and oblivious. In opposition to the theme of ignorance, the theme of insight is presented in the play. While some characters are blinded, others know a tremendous amount of information, and this aspect creates conflict between individuals and pins those who know against those who do not.…

    • 1248 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Plato’s dialogue Apology, Socrates stands trail to defend himself from the accusations of “corrupting the youth” and disregarding the Gods of the state. In his speech he tells the jury that an oracle at Delphi told Chaerephon a friend of Socrates that Socrates is a man of wisdom and no man is wiser than he is. To prove this cannot be true Socrates conducts cross examinations to find someone who is wiser than he is. Through these examinations Socrates mission and main points are to help people by exposing their ignorance to find wisdom, to find virtue, to find truth and to improve the soul.…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays