Thought Experiments Διάνοια as Propaedeutic Reasoning in Plato’s Parmenides

Plato’s Parmenides offers a host of challenges, not the least of which is understanding the hypotheses that populate the second half of the dialogue. If we are to take Parmenides at his word, the hypotheses, which are described as “gymnastic exercises” (135c8), are intended to help the youthful Socr...

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Published inPhilodorema p. 85
Main Author Darren Gardner
Format Book Chapter
LanguageEnglish
Published Parnassos Press - Fonte Aretusa 26.03.2022
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Summary:Plato’s Parmenides offers a host of challenges, not the least of which is understanding the hypotheses that populate the second half of the dialogue. If we are to take Parmenides at his word, the hypotheses, which are described as “gymnastic exercises” (135c8), are intended to help the youthful Socrates to strengthen his thinking about forms.² In particular, Socrates is uncertain of how to disarm Parmenides’s critical assessment of his underdeveloped view of forms (13a8-135b1). Socrates does not yet understand, for instance, whether there are forms for all things (130e1); whether forms remain undivided when they inform multiple participants (131b1); if
ISBN:1942495439
9781942495437
DOI:10.2307/j.ctv2fjwpqn.7