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| Chapter XXIII.—Plato’s self-contradiction.
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Chapter XXIII.—Plato’s
self-contradiction.
But, perhaps, some who are unwilling to
abandon the doctrines of polytheism, will say that to these fashioned
gods the maker said, “Since ye have been produced, ye are not
immortal, nor at all, imperishable; yet shall ye not perish nor succumb
to the fatality of death, because you have obtained my will,2555
| 2555 That is, “my will to the
contrary.” See Plato, Tim., p. 41 [cap 13]. |
which is a still greater and mightier bond.” Here Plato, through
fear of the adherents of polytheism, introduces his “maker”
uttering words which contradict himself. For having formerly stated that
he said that everything which is produced is perishable, he now
introduces him saying the very opposite; and he does not see that it is
thus absolutely impossible for him to escape the charge of falsehood. For
he either at first uttered what is false when he said that everything
which is produced is perishable, or now, when he propounds the very
opposite to what he had formerly said. For if, according to his former
definition, it is absolutely necessary that every created thing be
perishable, how can he consistently make that possible which is
absolutely impossible? So that Plato seems to grant an empty and
impossible prerogative to his “maker,” when he propounds that
those who were once perishable because made from matter should again, by
his intervention, become imperishable and enduring. For it is quite
natural that the power of matter, which, according to Plato’s
opinion, is uncreated, and contemporary and coæval with the maker,
should resist his will. For he who has not created has no power, in
respect of that which is uncreated, so that it is not possible that it
(matter), being free, can be controlled by any external necessity.
Wherefore Plato himself, in consideration of this, has written thus:
“It is necessary to affirm that God cannot suffer
violence.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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