There are thirty-six appearances of the Greek word ἐξαίφνης in Plato's dialogues. Usually translated as \"all of a sudden\" or \"suddenly, \" ἐξαίφνης emerges in several significant passages. For example, ἐξαίφνης appears three times in the \"allegory of the cave\" from Republic vii, and heralds the vision of the Beautiful in Symposium. Commonly translated in the Parmenides as \"the instant, \" ἐξαίφνης also surfaces in a crucial section of the dialogue's training exercise. This dissertation demonstrates the connection obtaining between the thirty-six scattered appearances of ἐξαίφνης in order to reveal the role it plays in linking Plato's theory of ideas with education. In short, it discloses how Plato's step-by-step, methodical approach to philosophical education climaxes with a dynamic conversion experience signified by the appearance of ἐξαίφνης.
","abstract_html":"<p>There are thirty-six appearances of the Greek word ἐξαίφνης in Plato's dialogues. Usually translated as "all of a sudden" or "suddenly, " ἐξαίφνης emerges in several significant passages. For example, ἐξαίφνης appears three times in the "allegory of the cave" from Republic vii, and heralds the vision of the Beautiful in Symposium. Commonly translated in the Parmenides as "the instant, " ἐξαίφνης also surfaces in a crucial section of the dialogue's training exercise. This dissertation demonstrates the connection obtaining between the thirty-six scattered appearances of ἐξαίφνης in order to reveal the role it plays in linking Plato's theory of ideas with education. In short, it discloses how Plato's step-by-step, methodical approach to philosophical education climaxes with a dynamic conversion experience signified by the appearance of ἐξαίφνης.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cimakasky, Joseph J."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"PhD","degree_level":"Worldwide Access","degree_discipline":"Philosophy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Ronald Polansky","Patrick Miller","John McGinley"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:09:07Z","subjects":["Education","Forms","Ideas","Instant","Participation","Sudden"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/68","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Ronald Polansky","Patrick Miller","John McGinley"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cimakasky, Joseph J."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-01-09T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Worldwide Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["PhD"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Education","Forms","Ideas","Instant","Participation","Sudden"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/68"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["There are thirty-six appearances of the Greek word ἐξαίφνης in Plato's dialogues. Usually translated as \"all of a sudden\" or \"suddenly, \" ἐξαίφνης emerges in several significant passages. For example, ἐξαίφνης appears three times in the \"allegory of the cave\" from Republic vii, and heralds the vision of the Beautiful in Symposium. Commonly translated in the Parmenides as \"the instant, \" ἐξαίφνης also surfaces in a crucial section of the dialogue's training exercise. This dissertation demonstrates the connection obtaining between the thirty-six scattered appearances of ἐξαίφνης in order to reveal the role it plays in linking Plato's theory of ideas with education. In short, it discloses how Plato's step-by-step, methodical approach to philosophical education climaxes with a dynamic conversion experience signified by the appearance of ἐξαίφνης.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["All of a Sudden: The Role of Ἐξαίφνης in Plato's Dialogues"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Ronald Polansky","Patrick Miller","John McGinley"],"dc:creator":["Cimakasky, Joseph J."],"dc:date.available":["2017-01-09T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["There are thirty-six appearances of the Greek word ἐξαίφνης in Plato's dialogues. Usually translated as \"all of a sudden\" or \"suddenly, \" ἐξαίφνης emerges in several significant passages. For example, ἐξαίφνης appears three times in the \"allegory of the cave\" from Republic vii, and heralds the vision of the Beautiful in Symposium. Commonly translated in the Parmenides as \"the instant, \" ἐξαίφνης also surfaces in a crucial section of the dialogue's training exercise. This dissertation demonstrates the connection obtaining between the thirty-six scattered appearances of ἐξαίφνης in order to reveal the role it plays in linking Plato's theory of ideas with education. In short, it discloses how Plato's step-by-step, methodical approach to philosophical education climaxes with a dynamic conversion experience signified by the appearance of ἐξαίφνης.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/68"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:subject":["Education","Forms","Ideas","Instant","Participation","Sudden"],"dc:title":["All of a Sudden: The Role of Ἐξαίφνης in Plato's Dialogues"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Philosophy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Worldwide Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["PhD"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:09:07Z"}