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| Chapter VII.—Inconsistencies of Plato’s doctrine.
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Chapter VII.—Inconsistencies of
Plato’s doctrine.
But in these things they are
convicted of thinking in contradiction to each other. And if any one will
accurately criticise their writings, they have chosen to abide in harmony
not even with their own opinions. Plato, at any rate, at one time says
that there are three first principles of the universe—God, and
matter, and form; but at another time four, for he adds the universal
soul. And again, when he has already said that matter is eternal,2529
| 2529 Literally,
“unbegotten.” | he afterwards says that it is
produced; and when he has first given to form its peculiar rank as a
first principle, and has asserted for its self-subsistence, he afterwards
says that this same thing is among the things perceived by the
understanding. Moreover, having first declared that everything that is
made is mortal2530
he afterwards states
that some of the things that are made are indestructible and immortal.
What, then, is the cause why those who have been esteemed wise among you
disagree not only with one another but also with themselves? Manifestly,
their unwillingness to learn from those who know, and their desire to
attain accurate knowledge of things heavenly by their own human excess of
wisdom though they were able to understand not even earthly matters.
Certainly some of your philosophers say that the human soul is in us;
others, that it is around us. For not even in this did they choose to
agree with one another, but, distributing, as it were, ignorance in
various ways among themselves, they thought fit to wrangle and dispute
with one another even about the soul. For some of them say that the soul
is fire, and some that it is the air; and others, the mind; and others,
motion; and others, an exhalation; and certain others say that it is a
power flowing from the stars; and others, number capable of motion; and
others, a generating water. And a wholly confused and inharmonious
opinion has prevailed among them, which only in this one respect appears
praiseworthy to those who can form a right judgment, that they have been
anxious to convict one another of error and falsehood.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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