Structure of Theaetetus

151e1-Theaetetus’ First Definition: Knowledge is perception

151e1- Knowledge is Perception
o 151e1-161 The birth of the baby
 151e1-152a8: K=P = Protagoras’ Measure
doctrine
 Which Tht. has read often.
 152b1-c7: wind example, K=Fantasia=P
 P is infallible
 152c8- 153a5: Secret Doctrine (nothing is
one thing itself in itself: all beings are from
movement, change, mixture)
 Homer’s Army: Heraclitus,
Protag., Emped., Homer, etc.
 153a5-4 (in)sufficient indications
that all is from movement
 153d8-154a9: first Color
Perception analysis
 154b1-d7: Protagorean Paradoxes
of knucklebones
o ...
o 154d8-155e2 Meta-Comment:
 154d8-155a2 we’re not pro’s, so we have to
explore
 155a2-b3: Three Socratic Theses
Suggested: no increase while remaining
same as itself, no growth w/o addition, no
being w/o coming to be
 155b4-c10 knucklebones again,
Tht. more puzzled, says his
puzzlement happens often
 155d1-e2: Soc. asks if Tht. will
thank him for Protagorean solution
to puzzles
 155e3-156a1: materialists to be
avoided
o ...
 156a2-157c3movement
explanation resumed;
o 156c6-e7 SECOND color
perception explanation
o 156e7-c3 Being removed,
names removed, oneness
removed
o 157c4-6 Theaetetus protests: does Soc believe any of
this?
 157c7-d6 Midwife metaphor renewed: S.
asks, Tht. gives his opinion
161: baby is fully born and ready for testing
theodorus and soc. discussion
161 c baboons, pigs, etc.
back to Theaetetus
162 and gods
162d-e Protagoras SPEAKS
163b1 foreign languages: heard but not known
163d knowing and not knowing same thing at same time
164bhaving seen =/= knowledge, and perception cannot be same as
knowledge
164c metacomment: we are acting like pros, just aiming at victory not
truth
165 Theodorus again: disavows being able to defend Prot.
165b-e can knower not know what he knows?one eye shut, seeing
dimly, etc.
166 Protagoras revived again
166d-167d wise man can change how we perceive
167d-168c Protagorean meta-comment about how to argue
168c-169c Theodorus made to join the fray
169d- exam of possibility that Prot. makes every man a wise man: but
people think that there are wise men
170d-171c but people disagree about things >>> self-refutation of
Prot.
172c-177c DIGRESSION
177d-179b1 “usefulness” and the future and Prot. measure
doctrine:ONE man is the measure of usefulness, the expert
179c-back to beginning: give the P=K another shake
179d-have to test Heracliteanism
179e but they never stay still: there is no there there
180e there are also Parmenideans
181c let’s start with the movers: start with an account of motion
there are at least 2 forms of it
182a THIRD account of perception: and a self-unraveling of it: cannot
use words to explain it
183 avoidance of examining Parmenideans
184c- FOURTH account of perception
186—Socrates leads Tht. to the faculty of judging likeness/unlikeness
thru the idea that perceptions cannot grasp such things
187b Resumption of main question: what is K?