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Plato and the Assumption of Truth
In the Theaetetus(170c1-171c7), through the usage of a Socratic dialogue, Plato disputes Protagoras’ theory of relativism, asserting that is in fact self-refuting. Relativism comes from an earlier passage in the Theaetetus (152a) as quoted by Plato, "The way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me; and the way things appears to you, in that way they exist for you". ... If another person see things differently, then for that person it is the truth. Plato thought that such a qualification reveals the inconsistency of the whole doctrine, in essence refuting itself. In his attack on Protagoras and relativism, Plato used his own objective notion of truth as the basis for his argument, ignoring the tenets of the relativist doctrine of subjectivity. By assuming his own objective notion of the truth, the issue in dispute, Plato inadvertently begs the question against Protagoras.
Plato’s argument against relativism does seem to make sense. ... Relativism thus has the strange logical property of not being able to deny the truth of its own contradiction. ... It can be said that Plato is not in fact begging the question, but in fact pointing out the obvious absurdity of the relativist argument. However, since Plato’s argument is still based on a objective notion of truth and his failure to acknowledge the inherent individual subjectivity of relativism, he still begs the question.
Approximate Word count = 1067
Approximate Pages = 4.3
(250 words per page double spaced)
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