Ideas from 'Theaetetus' by Plato [364 BCE], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Complete Works' by Plato (ed/tr Cooper,John M.) [Hackett 1997,0-87220-349-2]].

green numbers give full details    |     back to texts     |     expand these ideas

---

1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 7. Despair over Philosophy

2056	Philosophers are always switching direction to something more interesting

1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 2. Analysis by Division

2083	Either a syllable is its letters (making parts as knowable as whole) or it isn't (meaning it has no parts)

2086	Understanding mainly involves knowing the elements, not their combinations

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 6. Coherence

2082	A rational account is essentially a weaving together of things with names

2. Reason / C. Styles of Reason / 3. Eristic

2052	Eristic discussion is aggressive, but dialectic aims to help one's companions in discussion

2. Reason / D. Definition / 4. Real Definition

15854

A primary element has only a name, and no logos, but complexes have an account, by weaving the names

6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 1. Mathematical Platonism / a. For mathematical platonism

10216

We master arithmetic by knowing all the numbers in our soul

7. Existence / B. Change in Existence / 1. Nature of Change

2060	There seem to be two sorts of change: alteration and motion

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / a. Parts of objects

2084	If a word has no parts and has a single identity, it turns out to be the same kind of thing as a letter

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / c. Wholes from parts

15844

A sum is that from which nothing is lacking, which is a whole

15843

The whole can't be the parts, because it would be all of the parts, which is the whole

11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 1. Knowledge

2080	Things are only knowable if a rational account (logos) is possible

11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 2. Understanding

16126

Expertise is knowledge of the whole by means of the parts

11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / c. Aim of beliefs

2050	It is impossible to believe something which is held to be false

11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / d. Cause of beliefs

2076	How can a belief exist if its object doesn't exist?

12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 1. Perception

2045	Perception is infallible, suggesting that it is knowledge

2067	Our senses could have been separate, but they converge on one mind

12. Knowledge Sources / C. Rationalism / 1. Rationalism

2078	You might mistake eleven for twelve in your senses, but not in your mind

2069	Thought must grasp being itself before truth becomes possible

2068	With what physical faculty do we perceive pairs of opposed abstract qualities?

13. Knowledge Criteria / A. Justification Problems / 1. Justification / b. Need for justification

2089	An inadequate rational account would still not justify knowledge

13. Knowledge Criteria / A. Justification Problems / 2. Justification Challenges / a. Agrippa's trilemma

2085	Parts and wholes are either equally knowable or equally unknowable

2091	Without distinguishing marks, how do I know what my beliefs are about?

13. Knowledge Criteria / A. Justification Problems / 3. Internal or External / a. Pro-internalism

2087	A rational account might be seeing an image of one's belief, like a reflection in a mirror

2090	A rational account involves giving an image, or analysis, or giving a differentiating mark

13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 4. Foundationalism / a. Foundationalism

2081	Maybe primary elements can be named, but not receive a rational account

13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 5. Coherentism / b. Pro-coherentism

2088	A rational account of a wagon would mean knowledge of its hundred parts

13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 5. Dream Scepticism

2047	What evidence can be brought to show whether we are dreaming or not?

13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 6. Relativism Critique

2059	How can a relativist form opinions about what will happen in the future?

2053	If you claim that all beliefs are true, that includes beliefs opposed to your own

2054	Clearly some people are superior to others when it comes to medicine

28. God / A. Divine Nature / 6. Divine Morality / c. God is the good

2058	God must be the epitome of goodness, and we can only approach a divine state by being as good as possible

29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 3. Problem of Evil / a. Problem of Evil

2057	There must always be some force of evil ranged against good