[203d]
Theaetetus
Of course.Socrates
He knows, that is, the S and the O.Theaetetus
Yes.Socrates
How is that? He is ignorant of each, and knowing neither of them he knows them both?Theaetetus
That is monstrous and absurd, Socrates.Socrates
And yet if a knowledge of each letter is necessary before one can know both, he who is ever to know a syllable must certainly know the letters first, and so our fine theory will have run away and vanished!
Of course.Socrates
He knows, that is, the S and the O.Theaetetus
Yes.Socrates
How is that? He is ignorant of each, and knowing neither of them he knows them both?Theaetetus
That is monstrous and absurd, Socrates.Socrates
And yet if a knowledge of each letter is necessary before one can know both, he who is ever to know a syllable must certainly know the letters first, and so our fine theory will have run away and vanished!