sophist-第13节
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ideas and letters； for that is the direction in which the answer may
be expected。
Theaet。 And what is the question at issue about names？
Str。 The question at issue is whether all names may be connected
with one another； or none； or only some of them。
Theaet。 Clearly the last is true。
Str。 I understand you to say that words which have a
meaning when in
sequence may be connected； but that words which have no meaning when
in sequence cannot be connected？
Theaet。 What are you saying？
Str。 What I thought that you intended when you gave your
assent； for
there are two sorts of intimation of being which are given by the
voice。
Theaet。 What are they？
Str。 One of them is called nouns； and the other verbs。
Theaet。 Describe them。
Str。 That which denotes action we call a verb。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And the other； which is an articulate mark set on those who
do the actions； we call a noun。
Theaet。 Quite true。
Str。 A succession of nouns only is not a sentence any more than of
verbs without nouns。
Theaet。 I do not understand you。
Str。 I see that when you gave your assent you had something else
in your mind。 But what I intended to say was； that a mere succession
of nouns or of verbs is not discourse。
Theaet。 What do you mean？
Str。 I mean that words like 〃walks；〃 〃runs；〃 〃sleeps；〃 or any
other words which denote action； however many of them you string
together； do not make discourse。
Theaet。 How can they？
Str。 Or； again； when you say 〃lion；〃 〃stag；〃 〃horse；〃 or any other
words which denote agents …neither in this way of stringing words
together do you attain to discourse； for there is no expression of
action or inaction； or of the existence of existence or
non…existence indicated by the sounds； until verbs are mingled with
nouns； then the words fit； and the smallest combination of them
forms language； and is the simplest and least form of discourse。
Theaet。 Again I ask； What do you mean？
Str。 When any one says 〃A man learns；〃 should you not call this
the simplest and least of sentences？
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 Yes； for he now arrives at the point of giving an intimation
about something which is； or is becoming； or has become； or will be。
And he not only names； but he does something； by connecting
verbs with
nouns； and therefore we say that he discourses； and to this
connection
of words we give the name of discourse。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And as there are some things which fit one another； and other
things which do not fit； so there are some vocal signs which do； and
others which do not； combine and form discourse。
Theaet。 Quite true。
Str。 There is another small matter。
Theaet。 What is it？
Str。 A sentence must and cannot help having a subject。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And must be of a certain quality。
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 And now let us mind what we are about。
Theaet。 We must do so。
Str。 I will repeat a sentence to you in which a thing and an
action are combined； by the help of a noun and a verb； and you shall
tell me of whom the sentence speaks。
Theaet。 I will； to the best my power。
Str。 〃Theaetetus sits〃…not a very long sentence。
Theaet。 Not very。
Str。 Of whom does the sentence speak； and who is the
subject that is
what you have to tell。
Theaet。 Of me； I am the subject。
Str。 Or this sentence； again…
Theaet。 What sentence？
Str。 〃Theaetetus； with whom I am now speaking； is flying。〃
Theaet。 That also is a sentence which will be admitted by every
one to speak of me； and to apply to me。
Str。 We agreed that every sentence must necessarily have a certain
quality。
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And what is the quality of each of these two sentences？
Theaet。 The one； as I imagine； is false； and the other true。
Str。 The true says what is true about you？
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And the false says what is other than true？
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And therefore speaks of things which are not as if they were？
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And say that things are real of you which are not； for； as we
were saying； in regard to each thing or person； there is much that
is and much that is not。
Theaet。 Quite true。
Str。 The second of the two sentences which related to you was
first of all an example of the shortest form consistent with our
definition。
Theaet。 Yes； this was implied in recent admission。
Str。 And； in the second place； it related to a subject？
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 Who must be you； and can be nobody else？
Theaet。 Unquestionably。
Str。 And it would be no sentence at all if there were no subject；
for； as we proved； a sentence which has no subject is impossible。
Theaet。 Quite true。
Str。 When other； then； is asserted of you as the same； and
not…being
as being； such a combination of nouns and verbs is really and truly
false discourse。
Theaet。 Most true。
Str。 And therefore thought； opinion； and imagination are now
proved to exist in our minds both as true and false。
Theaet。 How so？
Str。 You will know better if you first gain a knowledge of
what they
are； and in what they severally differ from one another。
Theaet。 Give me the knowledge which you would wish me to gain。
Str。 Are not thought and speech the same； with this exception；
that what is called thought is the unuttered conversation of the
soul with herself？
Theaet。 Quite true。
Str。 But the stream of thought which flows through the lips and is
audible is called speech？
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And we know that there exists in speech。。。
Theaet。 What exists？
Str。 Affirmation。
Theaet。 Yes； we know it。
Str。 When the affirmation or denial takes Place in silence and in
the mind only； have you any other name by which to call it but
opinion？
Theaet。 There can be no other name。
Str。 And when opinion is presented； not simply； but in some form
of sense； would you not call it imagination？
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 And seeing that language is true and false； and that
thought is
the conversation of the soul with herself； and opinion is the end of
thinking； and imagination or phantasy is the union of sense and
opinion； the inference is that some of them； since they are akin to
language； should have an element of falsehood as well as of truth？
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 Do you perceive； then； that false opinion and speech have
been discovered sooner than we expected？…For just now we seemed to
be undertaking a task which would never be accomplished。
Theaet。 I perceive。
Str。 Then let us not be discouraged about the future； but
now having
made this discovery； let us go back to our previous classification。
Theaet。 What classification？
Str。 We divided image…making into two sorts； the one
likeness…making； the other imaginative or phantastic。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And we said that we were uncertain in which we should
place the
Sophist。
Theaet。 We did say so。
Str。 And our heads began to go round more and more when it was
asserted that there is no such thing as an image or idol or
appearance； because in no manner or time or place can there ever be
such a thing as falsehood。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And now； since there has been shown to be false speech and
false opinion； there may be imitations of real existences； and out
of this condition of the mind an art of deception may arise。
Theaet。 Quite possible。
Str。 And we have： already admitted； in what preceded； that the
Sophist was lurking in one of the divisions of the likeness…making
art？
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 Let us； then； renew the attempt； and in dividing any class；
always take the part to the right； holding fast to that which holds
the Sophist； until we have stripped him of all his common
properties； and reached his difference or peculiar。 Then we may
exhibit him in his true nature； first to ourselves and then
to kindred
dialectical spirits。
Theaet。 Very good。
Str。 You may remember that all art was originally divided
by us into
creative and acquisitive。
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And the Sophist was flitting before us in the acquisitive
class； in the subdivisions of hunting； contests； merchandise； and
the like。
Theaet。 Very true。
Str。 But now that the imitative art has enclosed him； it is clear
that we must begin by dividing the art of creation； for
imitation is a
kind of creation of images； however； as we affirm； and not of real
things。
Theaet。 Quite true。
Str。 In the first place； there are two kinds of creation。
Theaet。 What are they？
Str。 One of them is human and the other divine。
Theaet。 I do not follow。
Str。 Every power； as you may remember our saying originally； which
causes things to exist； not previously existing； was defined by us
as creative。
Theaet。 I remember。
Str。 Looking； now； at the world and all the animals and plants； at
things which grow upon the earth from seeds and roots； as well as at
inanimate substances which are formed within the earth； fusile or
non…fusile； shall we say that they come into existence…not having
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