プラトン『国家』篇と『ソピステス』篇における模倣術

抄録

I argue that, in the Sophist, the imitators who use the art of imitation (MT) or its species, namely, the art of likeness-making (ET) and appearance-making (FT), are not engaged in philosophical activities. Some scholars, though, think that ET is concerned with philosophical activities because its works are according to 'proportions', and it is left free from blame unlike FT which produces seeming proportions. First, the Sophist inherits the understanding of MT from the Republic because, as it is often said, in both dialogues, the analysis of the art is quite similar in many points. In addition, if MT of the Republic is similar to MT of the Sophist, then it is natural to infer that the analysis of MT in the Republic influences MT and its species, ET and FT, in the Sophist. Second, ET does not get an advantage over FT in cognitive and philosophical ability or understanding of what is true. The difference between ET and FT is rather based on whether each of these arts deceives people who see its products. 'The true proportion (235e6-7)' is introduced not because the imitator of ET is superior to the one of FT, but because if there are no criteria such as the proportions and appropriate colours of the model, the deceitfulness of FT cannot be a point of issue. In addition to the abovementioned points, even if an imitative product is concerned with truth, it does not entail that the imitative artist has knowledge through philosophical activities. For example, in the ideal state of the Republic, poets can implant truth (378c1, 391c1) in their works according to law (νομοζ) and form (τυποζ), because they are supervised and forced to do so by their lawgivers (401b1-3). Similarly, in the Laws, it is said that a god or divine man in Egypt legitimated musical melodies (657a-b), and the Egyptian conservative imitative arts are highly reputed. These texts show that imitative artists can implant truth in their products without knowledge of philosophical activities under the supervision of gods or, say, philosophers. Thus I conclude that the imitators who use MT and its species are not engaged in philosophy, while there remains the possibility that the products of ET are made under philosophers.