LessonsArguments of the Sophists: Immediate Knowledge, Inference and RepliesQuiz

وَلِهٰذَا كَثُرَ فِيهَا اخْتِلَافُ الْعُقَلَاءِ
Hence there have been many disagreements among reasoners about them.

Theoretical questions do produce substantial disagreement. One argument may appear strong to one scholar and weak to another, and a hidden mistake may remain in a chain of reasoning. None of this establishes that no correct conclusion is possible.

If two people calculate different results, the proper response is to examine their assumptions and steps. Their disagreement does not show that arithmetic has no correct answers.

Widespread disagreement calls for scrutiny. Treating it as a proof that all theoretical knowledge is false would itself be a theoretical inference in need of justification.

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Disagreement among theorists and the truth of conclusions

Arguments of the Sophists: Immediate Knowledge, Inference and Replies

وَلِهٰذَا كَثُرَ فِيهَا اخْتِلَافُ الْعُقَلَاءِ
Hence there have been many disagreements among reasoners about them.

Theoretical questions do produce substantial disagreement. One argument may appear strong to one scholar and weak to another, and a hidden mistake may remain in a chain of reasoning. None of this establishes that no correct conclusion is possible.

If two people calculate different results, the proper response is to examine their assumptions and steps. Their disagreement does not show that arithmetic has no correct answers.

Widespread disagreement calls for scrutiny. Treating it as a proof that all theoretical knowledge is false would itself be a theoretical inference in need of justification.