Publisher's Synopsis
Cratylus is a philosophical dialogue written by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, exploring the nature of language and the relationship between words and their meanings. The dialogue is named after Cratylus, a follower of the philosopher Heraclitus, who believed that everything is in a state of constant change and that language must also reflect this flux.In the dialogue, Cratylus argues that names are not arbitrary, but rather express the essential nature of the things they refer to. Socrates, the main character, challenges this view and argues that names are conventional and that their meanings are determined by social agreement rather than inherent qualities of the objects they represent.The dialogue also explores the idea of correctness in language, with Socrates arguing that some names are more accurate than others in describing the things they refer to. The discussion ultimately leads to a consideration of the nature of knowledge and the role of language in acquiring it.Cratylus is considered one of Plato's more obscure works, and its themes have been the subject of much debate and interpretation. Despite its complexity, it remains an important contribution to the philosophy of language and the study of semantics.HERMOGENES: I should explain to you, Socrates, that our friend Cratylus has been arguing about names; he says that they are natural and not conventional; not a portion of the human voice which men agree to use; but that there is a truth or correctness in them, which is the same for Hellenes as for barbarians. Whereupon I ask him, whether his own name of Cratylus is a true name or not, and he answers 'Yes.'This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
