Protagoras
Protagoras
Protagoras was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and is numbered as one of the sophists by Plato. In his dialogue, Protagoras, Plato credits him with having invented the role of the professional sophist...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
two-sides two sides
There are two sides to every question.
discussion greek-philosopher trial truth
Let us hold our discussion together in our own persons, making trial of the truth and of ourselves.
either
As to gods, I have no way of knowing either that they exist or do not exist, or what they are like.
knowing touching obscurity
As touching the gods, I do not know whether they exist or not, nor how they are featured; for there is much to prevent our knowing: the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life.
matter principles phenomenon
There are intelligible principles inherent in the matter of every phenomenon; because matter is essentially the sum of all the seemings that it has for any and all persons.
inspirational life mean
About the gods I have no means of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist or what they are to look at. Many things prevent my knowing. Among others, the fact that they are never seen.
running cities justice
When it comes to consideration of how to do well in running the city, which must proceed entirely through justice and soundness of mind.
philosophical men greek
Man is the measure of all things.
cities advice excellence
The Athenians are right to accept advice from anyone, since it is incumbent on everyone to share in that sort of excellence, or else there can be no city at all.
obscurity human-life brevity
Many things prevent knowledge, including the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life
men all-things
Man is the measure of all things, of things that are that they are, and of things that are not that they are not.
mean knowing may
Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist, nor what sort of form they may have; there are many reasons why knowledge on this subject is not possible, owing to the lack of evidence and the shortness of human life.
reality men atheism
Man is the measure of all things, of the reality of those which are, and of the unreality of those which are not.
mean knowing atheism
As to the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or do not exist.