Time Quote by Plato
““And what about these, Socrates? Things that might seem absurd, like hair and mud and dirt, or anything else totally undignified and worthless? Are [d] you doubtful whether or not you should say that a form is separate for each of these, too, which in turn is other than anything we touch with our hands?” “Not at all,” Socrates answered. “On the contrary, these things are in fact just what we see. Surely it’s too outlandish to think there is a form for them. Not that the thought that the same thing might hold in all cases hasn’t troubled me from time to time. Then, when I get bogged down in that, I hurry away, afraid that I may fall into some pit of nonsense and come to harm; but when I arrive back in the vicinity of the things we agreed a moment ago have forms, I linger there and occupy myself with them.” [e] “That’s because you are still young, Socrates,” said Parmenides, “and philosophy has not yet gripped you as, in my opinion, it will in the future, once you begin to consider none of the cases beneath your notice. Now, though, you still care about what people think, because of your youth.””
About This Quote
Source Dialogue: Parmenides, Plato, 4th century BC
Socrates questions the existence of forms for mundane things, revealing tension between abstract ideals and everyday reality.
In simple terms: Socrates debates if ordinary objects have separate ideal forms.
Recognize both abstract ideas and concrete details.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- teaching philosophy
- personal reflection
- creative writing
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What value lies in examining everyday objects philosophically?
- How does this debate affect modern thinking?
Abstract reasoning can overlook practical concerns.