more from Plato

Single Idea 2081

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 4. Foundationalism / a. Foundationalism]

Full Idea

Maybe the primary elements of which things are composed are not susceptible to rational accounts. Each of them taken by itself can only be named, but nothing further can be said about it.

Gist of Idea

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

Source

Plato (Theaetetus [c.368 BCE], 201e)

Book Reference

Plato: 'Theaetetus', ed/tr. Waterfield,Robin [Penguin 1987], p.116


A Reaction

This still seems to be more or less the central issue in philosophy - which things should be treated as 'primitive', and which other things are analysed and explained using the primitive tools?