Platonov Teetet i problem znanja
Plato's Theaetetus and the Problem of Knowledge

Under the Guise of Szlezák's To Read Plato

Summary/Abstract: Intentions of this article are multiple. It is for the most part concerned with interpretation of Plato's dialogue Theaetetus and the problem of the definition of the concept of knowledge as is therein considered. Prior to this, a short account of the approach to Plato's opus that is presented in Th. A. Szlezák's book To Read Plato is given, since this work is severally referred to in the article. In interpreting Plato, Szlezák's reception theory approach is combined with and extended by the semiotic approach in the theory of text as was developed by the well-known semiotician and theoretician of fine art, Yuri Lotman. After examining Plato's approach to the problem of knowledge, a different one is offered. First, it is held that the important distinction between the normative definition of knowledge and the descriptive definition of knowledge, or the description of the word's meaning, is to be observed (as was not the case with Plato). It is further proposed that the notion of »family resemblances« could be used to handle the latter issue and to deal with the troublesome idea of the »essence« of knowledge. In conclusion, it is argued that a general and complete account of the meaning of the word »knowledge« actually cannot be given (the problem of autoreferentiality).

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