Theaitetos

[

Theaetetus

] is one of Plato’s finest works, and it shaped the theories of knowledge from Aristotle to the present. Given Western philosophy’s focus on problems of knowledge in the modern period, one might adapt Whitehead’s dictum on Plato’s significance to say: “European epistemology consists of a series of footnotes to

Theaetetus

.” Careful study of

Theaetetus

discloses the limits of empiricism, and reveals that Platonism remains vitally relevant in contemporary philosophy. In contrast to the writings of modern epistemologists,

Theaetetus

not only sparkles with brilliant dialogue, it also opens up profound questions about the possibility of any comprehensive and consistent theory of knowledge, whether empiricist or rationalist.

Theaetetus

, along with Plato’s…

2662 words

Citation: Wood, Kelsey. "Theaetetus". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 April 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=13442, accessed 19 March 2024.]

13442 Theaetetus 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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