Charmides.
Socrates, Critias.
And the odd and Pven numbers are not the same with the art of computation?
They are not.
Tlw art of weighing, again, has to do with lighter and heavier; but the art of weighing is one thing, and the heavy and the light another. Do you admit that?
Yes.
Now, I want to know, what is that which is not wisdom, and of whirh wisdom is the science?
Temperance or wisdom is defined to be the science of other sciences, and of itself. You arc just falling into the old nror, Socrates, he said. Y011 come asking in what wisdom or temperance differs from the other sciences, and then you try to discover some respect in which they are alike; hut they are not, for c1JI the other sciences are of something else, and not of themselves; wis dom alone is a science of other srienres, and of itself. And of this, c1s; T heliewe, you arc very well aware: and that you arc only doing what you denied that you were doing just now, trying to refute me, instead of pursuing the argument.
Personalities are beginning, to which Socrates quickly puts an end. And what if I am? How can you think that I have any other motive in refuting you Lut what I should have in ex amining into myself? which motive would be just a fear of my unconsciously fancying that I knew something of which I was ignorant. And at this moment I pursue the argument chiefly for my own sake, and perhaps in some degree also for the sake ofmy other friends. For is not the discovery of things as they truly are, a good common to all mankind?
Yes, certainly, Socrates, he said.
Then, I said, be cheerful, sweet sir, and give your opinion in answer to the question which I asked, never minding whether Critias or Socrates is the person refuted; attend only to the argument, and see what will come of the refu tation.
I think that you are right, he replied; and I will do as you say.
A difficulty: A science of itself and other sciences must also be a science of the absence of science. Tell me, then, I said, what you mean to affirm about wisdom.
I mean to say that wisdom is the only science which is the science of itself as well as of the other sciences.
But the science of science, I said, will also be the science of the absence of science.
