Theaetetus and the Making of a Philosopher: Character and the Nature of Philosophical Discussion in Plato's Theaetetus

Traditional approaches to Plato’s Theaetetus have it that it is only, or at least primarily, about knowledge. Yet large sections of the dialogue, including the so-called “Digression” of 172c-177c, do not appear to be concerned with knowledge at all, but with the nature of the philosopher and the activity the philosopher engages in, i.e. philosophical discussion. I offer a reading of the Theaetetus that proceeds from the assumption that the inclusion of such material suggests that the dialogue is also about philosophy and the philosopher, and I find such concerns in fact present throughout both explicitly and implicitly. On my view, the dialogue is both dramatically and philosophically a portrayal of the philosophical progress of Theaetetus, whose first encounter with philosophical discussion, when Socrates asks him if he can help find what knowledge is, not only demonstrates that he has, but draws out and develops in him, an essentially philosophical character – where to be “philosophical” is much more than to just be adept with arguments or quick to come up answers to philosophical questions, but to be willing to try out answers to such questions without attachment to them, to learn from the shortcomings of previous attempts, and ultimately to have a certain kind of orientation toward the world.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Philosophy

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Arts

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Kerklaan, Nicholas

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Migotti, Mark

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Inwood, Brad
• Burch, Robert
• Hume, James
• Fantl, Jeremy

• Plato
• Theaetetus
• epistemology
• Ancient Greek philosophy

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/47802

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/120192