THE LAST ETYMOLOGIES OF CRATYLUS: AN INVITATION TO PHILOSOPHY.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1344/conv47562Keywords:
Cratylus, dialectics, etymology, palinode, PlatoAbstract
This article deals with the etymological problem in the Cratylus by focus- ing on the latest etymologies of the dialogue (437a-c). If previous philosophical ety- mologies showed the world in perpetual movement and subjected to change, this brief etymological sequel, on the contrary, reveals some doctrinal principles concerning sta- bility and permanence that could be considered platonic. The following pages present an interpretation of this passage in line with the rest of the dialogue that, contrary to the opinion of some recent commentaries, underlines the arbitrary nature of the Platon- ic representation of ancient etymology. According to this, the last decompositions of names try to make the reader aware that he should not be seduced by a mere unfounded discursive strategy that can be used in several and even opposite senses to strengthen the elegance of the discourse. Therefore, the supposed etymological technique presented in the dialogue ends up as a negative definition of philosophy. | Keywords: Cratylus, dialectic, etymology, palinode, Plato.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Daniel Salgueiro
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The author retains copyright. You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes .
- NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
