Ή γνωσιολογία του Ισοκράτους και αι αντίστοιχοι απόψεις του Πλάτωνος και 'Αριστοτέλους
Part of : Πλάτων : περιοδικό της Εταιρείας Ελλήνων Φιλολόγων ; Vol.ΛΑ, No.61-62, 1979, pages 252-259
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252-259
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Isocrates' theory of knowledge ; with reference to Plato and Aristotle
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Isocrates believes that it is impossible for human itelligence to know exactly everything that exists. Plato and Aristotle disagree with him. The former says that the soul can know and understand everything provided that it is lighted by the idea of good, the latter also maintains that the human being can obtain knowledge about everything. Furthermore there is a distinction among them regarding science-conjecture, ideas, but they agree more or less as far as «logos» is concerned. In Isocrates science does not mean true knowledge ; it is used rather for the rhetorical knowledge, while opinion is rather a practical experience. For Plato science is about «that which is, to know the condition of that which is, but opinion opines» (Rep. E 478). In Aristotle science is the way to know a thing which cannot vary; between right and false opinion nothing exists except ignorance. Isocrates' «ideas» include the principles of his rhetoric. Platos' ideas are the summit of his philosophy, while for Aristotle idea is a definite characteristic which belongs as genus to all its species. Basically all three thinkers agree over the meaning of «logos». The only difference is that Aristotle and moreover Plato insist on the inside meaning of «logos». Regarding the obtaining of knowledge Isocrates maintains that the human being obtains knowledge through the senses. Plato on the contrary says that the knowledge we get by the senses is a shadow of knowledge. The true knowledge is beyond the sensible world and springs from the inner part of the soul. Summarising we can say that Isocrates was an empiricist who follows the way of the «epistemology» of empirical philosophers, to which his view is related
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