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know a name。
Theaet。 What is it？
Str。 Every discernment or discrimination of that kind； as I have
observed； is called a purification。
Theaet。 Yes； that is the usual expression。
Str。 And any one may see that purification is of two kinds。
Theaet。 Perhaps so； if he were allowed time to think； but I do not
see at this moment。
Str。 There are many purifications of bodies which may with
propriety
be comprehended under a single name。
Theaet。 What are they； and what is their name？
Str。 There is the purification of living bodies in their inward
and in their outward parts； of which the former is duly effected by
medicine and gymnastic； the latter by the not very dignified art of
the bath…man； and there is the purification of inanimate
substances…to
this the arts of fulling and of furbishing in general attend in a
number of minute particulars； having a variety of names which are
thought ridiculous。
Theaet。 Very true。
Str。 There can be no doubt that they are thought ridiculous；
Theaetetus； but then the dialectical art never considers whether the
benefit to be derived from the purge is greater or less than that to
be derived from the sponge； and has not more interest in the one
than in the other； her endeavour is to know what is and is
not kindred
in all arts； with a view to the acquisition of intelligence； and
having this in view； she honours them all alike； and when she makes
comparisons； she counts one of them not a whit more ridiculous than
another； nor does she esteem him who adduces as his example of
hunting； the general's art； at all more decorous than another who
cites that of the vermin…destroyer； but only as the greater
pretender of the two。 And as to your question concerning the name
which was to comprehend all these arts of purification； whether of
animate or inanimate bodies； the art of dialectic is in no wise
particular about fine words； if she maybe only allowed to have a
general name for all other purifications； binding them up
together and
separating them off from the purification of the soul or intellect。
For this is the purification at which she wants to arrive；
and this we
should understand to be her aim。
Theaet。 Yes； I understand； and I agree that there are two sorts of
purification and that one of them is concerned with the
soul； and that
there is another which is concerned with the body。
Str。 Excellent； and now listen to what I am going to say；
and try to
divide further the first of the two。
Theaet。 Whatever line of division you suggest； I will endeavour to
assist you。
Str。 Do we admit that virtue is distinct from vice in the soul？
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 And purification was to leave the good and to cast
out whatever
is bad？
Theaet。 True。
Str。 Then any taking away of evil from the soul may be properly
called purification？
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And in the soul there are two kinds of evil。
Theaet。 What are they？
Str。 The one may be compared to disease in the body； the other to
deformity。
Theaet。 I do not understand。
Str。 Perhaps you have never reflected that disease and discord are
the same。
Theaet。 To this； again； I know not what I should reply。
Str。 Do you not conceive discord to be a dissolution of kindred
clements； originating in some disagreement？
Theaet。 Just that。
Str。 And is deformity anything but the want of measure； which is
always unsightly？
Theaet。 Exactly。
Str。 And do we not see that opinion is opposed to desire； pleasure
to anger； reason to pain； and that all these elements are opposed to
one another in the souls of bad men？
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 And yet they must all be akin？
Theaet。 Of course。
Str。 Then we shall be right in calling vice a discord and
disease of
the soul？
Theaet。 Most true。
Str。 And when things having motion； an aiming at an appointed
mark； continually miss their aim and glance aside； shall we say that
this is the effect of symmetry among them； or of the want of
symmetry？
Theaet。 Clearly of the want of symmetry。
Str。 But surely we know that no soul is voluntarily ignorant of
anything？
Theaet。 Certainly not。
Str。 And what is ignorance but the aberration of a mind which is
bent on truth； and in which the process of understanding is
perverted？
Theaet。 True。
Str。 Then we are to regard an unintelligent soul as deformed and
devoid of symmetry？
Theaet。 Very true。
Str。 Then there are these two kinds of evil in the soul…the one
which is generally called vice； and is obviously a disease of the
soul。。。
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And there is the other； which they call ignorance； and which；
because existing only in the soul； they will not allow to be vice。
Theaet。 I certainly admit what I at first disputed…that there are
two kinds of vice in the soul； and that we ought to consider
cowardice； intemperance； and injustice to be alike forms of
disease in
the soul； and ignorance； of which there are all sorts of
varieties； to
be deformity。
Str。 And in the case of the body are there not two arts； which
have to do with the two bodily states？
Theaet。 What are they？
Str。 There is gymnastic； which has to do with deformity； and
medicine； which has to do with disease。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And where there is insolence and injustice and cowardice； is
not chastisement the art which is most required？
Theaet。 That certainly appears to be the opinion of mankind。
Str。 Again； of the various kinds of ignorance； may not instruction
be rightly said to be the remedy？
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And of the art of instruction； shall we say that there is one
or many kinds？ At any rate there are two principal ones。 Think。
Theaet。 I will。
Str。 I believe that I can see how we shall soonest arrive at the
answer to this question。
Theaet。 How？
Str。 If we can discover a line which divides ignorance into two
halves。 For a division of ignorance into two parts will certainly
imply that the art of instruction is also twofold； answering to the
two divisions of ignorance。
Theaet。 Well； and do you see what you are looking for？
Str。 I do seem to myself to see one very large and bad sort of
ignorance which is quite separate； and may be weighed in the scale
against all other sorts of ignorance put together。
Theaet。 What is it？
Str。 When a person supposes that he knows； and does not know this
appears to be the great source of all the errors of the intellect。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And this； if I am not mistaken； is the kind of ignorance
which specially earns the title of stupidity。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 What name； then； shall be given to the sort of instruction
which gets rid of this？
Theaet。 The instruction which you mean； Stranger； is； I should
imagine； not the teaching of handicraft arts； but what； thanks to
us； has been termed education in this part the world。
Str。 Yes； Theaetetus； and by nearly all Hellenes。 But we have
still to consider whether education admits of any further division。
Theaet。 We have。
Str。 I think that there is a point at which such a division is
possible。
Theaet。 Where？
Str。 Of education； one method appears to be rougher； and another
smoother。
Theaet。 How are we to distinguish the two？
Str。 There is the time…honoured mode which our fathers commonly
practised towards their sons； and which is still adopted by
many…either of roughly reproving their errors； or of gently advising
them； which varieties may be correctly included under the
general term
of admonition。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 But whereas some appear to have arrived at the conclusion
that all ignorance is involuntary； and that no one who thinks
himself wise is willing to learn any of those things in which he is
conscious of his own cleverness； and that the admonitory sort of
instruction gives much trouble and does little good…
Theaet。 There they are quite right。
Str。 Accordingly； they set to work to eradicate the spirit of
conceit in another way。
Theaet。 In what way？
Str。 They cross…ex