Plato’s Absolute and Relative Categories at Sophist 255c14

Ancient Philosophy 32 (1):77-86 (2012)
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Abstract

Sophist 255c14 distinguishes καθ’ αὑτά and πρὸς ἄλλα (in relation to others). Many commentators identify this with the ‘absolute’ and ‘relative’ category distinction. However, terms such as ‘same’ cannot fit into either category. Several reliable manuscripts read πρὸς ἄλληλα (in relation to each other) for πρὸς ἄλλα. I show that πρὸς ἄλληλα is a palaeographically plausible reading which accommodates the problematic terms. I then defend my reading against objections.

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Author's Profile

Matthew Duncombe
Nottingham University

References found in this work

The Cambridge Companion to Plato.Richard Kraut (ed.) - 1992 - New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press.
Converse relations.Timothy Williamson - 1985 - Philosophical Review 94 (2):249-262.
Plato on Not-Being.G. E. L. Owen - 1999 - In Gail Fine (ed.), Plato, Volume 1: Metaphysics and Epistemology. Oxford University Press.
Being in the Sophist: a syntactical enquiry.Lesley Brown - 1986 - Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 4:49-70.

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