Description

The key terms of this enquiry are Science, Ethics and Polis and the enquiry ranges over a long period in Western history. Consequently, as explained in the Introduction and further developed in Chapters 2 and 10, a method had to be found which, inter alia, would permit consistant usage of these key terms in a manner compatible with changing nuance in them. By way of further explanation, and focussing on Plato for discussion purposes, there are a number of words he uses in his efforts to identify kinds of knowledge-the true as opposed to the false, sophistic conjecture as opposed reasoned argument, and logical reasoning as opposed to eristic obstructive filibuster. At Statesman 258e (Plato, 1903c; 1952t, p. 580) the dialogical Young Socrates voices an assumption that Science consists of two divisions, one practical (praktikos), the other pure or intellectual (gnostikos), Science in the first place being used in one sense of episteme (ἐπιστήμη) full knowledge about matters, including arts, professions and the like Philebus 55d (Plato, 1925f; 1952p, p. 633), and gnosis appearing to have no sense of personal mystical truth as it later came to have. Science so used comes from ἐπι = upon and ἵσταμαι = to stand upon and in this sense science as episteme Republic 477b (Plato, 1925c; 1952r, p. 371) Ion 536c (Plato, 1925c; 1952h, p. 145) is a kind of true and tried knowledge upon which other knowledge may be built. The word sophia (σοφία), which may be used to mean cleverness or skill in handicraft in the sense of knowledge of the handicraft Republic 406b (Plato, 1952r, p. 335; 1969a), Protagoras 321d (Plato, 1952q, p. 44; 1967d) can also serve to mean skill in life matters, practical wisdom, sound judgment and the like Protagoras 360d (Plato, 1952q; 1974, p. 64), or in the sense of learning or wisdom Apology 20e (Plato, 1952a, p. 201; 1966a). Phronesis (φρόνησις) may also be used in the sense of a reliable kind of knowledge, namely practical wisdom or prudence in government and affairs Symposium 209a (Plato, 1925g; 1952r, p. 166)