What is Knowledge? Plato's Theaetetus: A Close Reading 1

What is Knowledge? Plato's Theaetetus: A Close Reading

The beginning of a new, multi-part series reading one of Plato's most important works which takes up the crucial question: what is knowledge?

F.M.Cornford Plato's Theory of Knowledge the Theaetetus and the Sophist of Plato

David Horan's online translation of Plato's Theaetetus

[markrhoads]

Yet another gem of instruction and insight in this series!
Thank you for being such a learned and skillful Midwife yourself, Dr. Byrne!

[markrhoads]

Thank you very much, Dr. Byrne, for recommending certain books on this subject. All such recommendations for further study of any of the subjects that you address are most appreciated.

[legendary]

Bravo
Very insightful. Love these series

[alwaysgreatusa]

The truth 'Paris is the capitol of France' is not dependent upon any individual's particular experience, thus it is not subjective. This is what is meant by truth. The truth is about the fact, not the experience. 'I believe Paris is the capitol of France' is dependent upon my experience -- namely, having learned this in school and from other news sources, etc.. Simply because we learn of facts from our experiences, however, doesn't change the meaning of truth, truth is still essentially factual -- meaning that it is about something that exists independently of anyone's particular experience of it. There was a time when nobody had any experience of the Big Bang, and even now the only experience we have of this original event is through scientific reasoning -- an indirect (second-hand) kind of experience. But, nonetheless, it was true that the Big Bang happened before anyone had any kind of experience, or even any idea, that such a thing occurred. Therefore, those who maintain that truth is something essentially subjective -- i.e. dependent upon experience -- are simply wrong. They simply do not understand the idea of truth -- which is objective and factual by definition !

[alwaysgreatusa]

Protagoras reportedly said, 'Man is the measure of all things'. What he meant by this, according to the report, is that each individual's perception of what is true is true for that particular person. This is clearly an attempt to make truth into something subjective, and deny the existence of objectivity wholesale. But, what then becomes of Protagoras' own proposition, 'Man is the measure of all things' ? If it accords with your individual experience, then it is true for you, but if it doesn't, then is false for you. But, whoever had an experience in which was true for him was false for somebody else -- say, that a cashier gave you change, and it was true for you that he shorted you, while it was true for him that he had given you the correct change ? Surely, you would never accept it to be the case that you were both right ! Surely, you would contest his claim by showing him the actual change he had given you, and by counting-it-out, if necessary, to prove your point. Of course, everyone believes what they believe is true -- that's why they believe it ! But nobody in reality believes that truth is something subjective, so that what is true for you might be false for somebody else. All our thinking and behavior in our real world interactions assume the objectivity of truth. Therefore, the idea that truth is subjective is merely a theoretical idea -- and a bad one at that !

[EsatBargan]

Harris Anna Moore Margaret Lopez Karen