This paper explores the relativism of the Sophists as expressed through Protagoras' contention that "man is the measure of all things".
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Paper Summary:
This paper explains that, although there were many differences in the specific teachings of each Sophist, there was a common philosophy, which many Sophists shared and which permeated their teachings. The author points out that the most prominent element in their philosophy was the doctrine that sensory experiences are the only source of knowledge, which lead to the theory of relativism. The paper cites this theory that truth has no independent absolute existence but is dependent upon the individual and the particular situation. The author underscores that, at the heart of the Sophistic movement, is Protagoras' statement that "man is the measure of all things...". The paper relates that this complex statement means that the absolute reality of existence is placed within the context of human experience.
From the Paper:
"The minimalist interpretation of Protagoras' statement that "man is the measure of all things" assumes that 'man' intends 'mankind' and not the individual, implying that reality and truth are human constructions. "The phrase was also taken to mean that objects do not exist except while someone is perceiving them", so that it is only mankind's perception of the sensible world that gives it meaning and existence. This interpretation may seem to be a response to certain pre-Socratic ideas, of Parmenides in particular, that built theories of the reality of existence from pure reason that contradicted the evidence of the senses."
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