The great quote of rationality a la Socrates (or Plato, or Aristotle)
post by Bound_up · 2015-06-23T15:55:17.076Z · LW · GW · Legacy · 8 commentsHelp a brother out?
There's a great quote by one of The Big 3 Greek Philosophers (EDIT: Reference to Cicero removed) which I can paraphrase by memory as:
"I consider it rather better for myself to be proven wrong than to prove someone else wrong, just as I'm better off being cured of a disease than curing someone of one."
I can't find the quote, or from which of the Three it is.
Anybody know? Or know where to look? I've already tried varying google search techniques and perused the Wikiquotes article on each of them.
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comment by Unknowns · 2015-06-24T04:17:04.519Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
This is from Socrates in Plato's Gorgias.
Also, this would be better in the Open Thread.
Replies from: Bound_up↑ comment by Bound_up · 2015-06-25T06:56:21.798Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
Thank you, and I'll note the use of the Open Thread for future use.
Is there a word in the quote I can ctrl-f search for in Plato's Gorgias to find it quickly?
Replies from: Unknowns↑ comment by Unknowns · 2015-06-25T09:38:55.341Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
It's going to depend on your particular translation. You might try searching for "refute", "refuted", "curing", "being cured". This is what it says in my version:
And what is my sort? you will ask. I am one of those who are very willing to be refuted if I say anything which is not true, and very willing to refute any one else who says what is not true, and quite as ready to be refuted as to refute; for I hold that this is the greater gain of the two, just as the gain is greater of being cured of a very great evil than of curing another.
comment by tim · 2015-06-23T23:19:39.208Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
This a great example of a question that belongs in the Open Thread.
comment by Salemicus · 2015-06-24T22:29:04.390Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
Cicero wasn't Greek and is most known as a jurist and politician, not as a philosopher.
Replies from: Bound_up↑ comment by Bound_up · 2015-06-25T17:37:29.006Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
Although I am momentarily embarrassed, " I am one of those who are very willing to be refuted if I say anything which is not true, and very willing to refute any one else who says what is not true, and quite as ready to be refuted as to refute-I for I hold that this is the greater gain of the two, just as the gain is greater of being cured of a very great evil than of curing another."
comment by Vinod Maseedupally (vinod-maseedupally) · 2018-10-16T06:48:04.446Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
"If you are a person of the same sort as myself I should be glad to continue questioning you: if not, I can let it drop. Of what sort am I? One of those who would be glad to be refuted if I say anything untrue, and glad to refute anyone else who might speak untruly; but just as glad, mind you, to be refuted as to refute, since I regard former as the greater benefit" Socratic dialogue Gorgias, by Plato......... found it on a wall poster.
comment by eternal_neophyte · 2015-06-23T16:23:10.732Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
I can't help you insofar as who the quote belongs to, but I have to point out that it's only better to be proven wrong given that you are, in fact, wrong. Being proved wrong all the time doesn't speak well of your talents as a rationalist.