Single Idea 1556

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 2. Knowledge as Convention]

Full Idea

I regard you all as relatives - by nature, not by convention. By nature like is akin to like, but convention is a tyrant over humankind and often constrains people to act contrary to nature.

Clarification

'Convention' is the Greek word 'nomos', which also translates as 'law'

Gist of Idea

By nature people are close to one another, but culture drives them apart

Source

Hippias (fragments/reports [c.430 BCE]), quoted by Plato - Protagoras 337c8

Book Reference

'The First Philosophers', ed/tr. Waterfield,Robin [OUP 2000], p.255