[169] Plato, Phædrus, pp. 249 C, 265 D-E.
[170] This remark is made by Stallbaum in his Prolegg. ad Politicum, p. 81; and it is just, though I do not at all concur in his general view of the Politikus, wherein he represents the dialogue as intended to deride the Megaric philosophers.
[171] See the Republic, v. pp. 476-479, vi. pp. 508-510-511, and especially the memorable simile about the cave and the shadows within it, in Book vii. pp. 518-519, together with the περιαγωγὴ which he there prescribes — ἀπὸ τοῦ γιγνομένου εἰς τὸ ὄν — and the remarks respecting observations in astronomy and acoustics, p. 529.
[172] Compare the passage of the Phædrus (p. 263 A-C) where Plato distinguishes the sensible particulars on which men mostly agree, from the abstractions (Just and Unjust, &c., corresponding with the ἀσώματα, κάλλιστα, μέγιστα, τιμιώτατα, Politikus, p. 286 A) on which they are perpetually dissenting.
[173] Plato, Phædrus, p. 266 B. τούτων δὴ ἔγωγε αὐτός τε ἐραστὴς τῶν διαιρέσεων καὶ συναγωγῶν … τοὺς δυναμένους αὐτὸ δρᾷν … καλῶ διαλεκτικούς. The reason which Sokrates gives in the Phædrus for his attachment to dialectics, that he may become competent in discourse and in wisdom (ἵν’ οἷός τε ὦ λέγειν καὶ φρονεῖν), is the same as that which the Eleate assigns in recommendation of the logical exercises in the Politikus.
[174] Plato, Phædrus, pp. 271 D, 277 B. ὁρισάμενός τε πάλιν κατ’ εἴδη μέχρι τοῦ ἀτμήτου τέμνειν ἐπιστήθῃ.
[175] Plato, Phædrus, pp. 265 E, 270 E. ἐοίκοι ἂν ὥσπερ τυφλοῦ πορείᾳ.
What distinguishes the Sophistês and Politikus from most other dialogues of Plato, is, that the method of logical classification is illustrated by setting the classifier to work upon one or a few given subjects, some in themselves trivial, some important. Though the principles of the method are enunciated in general terms, yet their application to the special example is kept constantly before us; so that we are never permitted, much less required, to divorce the Universal from its Particulars.
Comparison of the Politikus with the Parmenidês.
As a dialogue illustrative of this method, the Politikus (as I have already pointed out) may be compared to the Phædrus: in another point of view, we shall find instruction in comparing it to the Parmenidês. This last too is a dialogue illustrative of method, but of a different variety of method.