CratylusPlato's Cratylus is about language, specifically about names (onomata), a category that includes proper names, common nouns, adjectives, participles and infinitives. On first reading it may appear to be a somewhat arcane work almost half of which is devoted to a discussion of what appear to be far-fetched etymologies of Greek words. When properly understood, however, this apparently unprepossessing material serves an important philosophical purpose. As Plato's most focused discussion of language, the text should be useful for every student of his work, and should also be of interest to anyone interested in Greek thought, the history of semantics, or the philosophy of language. |
Contents
PREFACE | ix |
INTRODUCTION | xi |
1 Hermogenes and Cratylus on Names | xii |
2 Natures Actions and the Truth in Names | xiv |
3 The Maker of Names | xix |
4 Natures and Forms Names and Shuttles | xxi |
5 Homer on the Correctness of Names | xxiii |
6 The Testimony of Names Themselves | xxvi |
9 Cratylus on Truth Falsity and Fitting | xxxvi |
10 Convention Returns | xl |
11 Knowledge and Instruction | xlii |
12 Heracliteanism | xliv |
13 Socrates on the Correctness of Names | xlvii |
14 Conclusion | lii |
PLATOS CRATYLUS | 1 |
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY | 97 |
Common terms and phrases
aboulia aêr agree alêtheia ancient aretê assigned Astyanax beautiful believe Certainly convention correct name correctly called correctness of names craft daimons David Sedley derivative dialogue discussion Duke epistêmê essence etymologies Euthydemus Euthyphro example express things false flowing force or power give given giver gods Greek hamartia hêdonê hêlios Hence Hephaestus Hera Heraclitean Heraclitus Hermes HERMOGENES Hesiod Hestia himeros Homer human Iliad imitate investigate kerkis kind knowledge Kronos language letters and syllables look lusiteloun matter means motion moving name-giver name-maker names to things natural correctness naturally resemble natures of things ness noêsis numbers ousia painting philosophical Phronesis Plato Plato's Cratylus poets primary names pronounced Protagoras rectness Republic rhoê rule-setter seems shackles signify SOCRATES someone sort soul speak statement suppose tell Theaetetus theory thing it names tool true truth type of shuttle understand usage verbs wisdom zêmiôdes Zeus