The Elenchus

You have a professional opinion.

You develop a theory within constraints.

Then you have a right to say they're wrong, in one way at least.

Although you must accept something of what is, you need not accept everything.

Especially if they were wrong.

One should have ambition enough.

If one meets the correct conditions, one could have a professional opinion on many things.

Sometimes, it's a losing battle.

Other times, one might win.

One's resolve must be absolute.

One must be determine against every foreseeable argument.

There is a divine standard, that one must do better if one is to win.

One must not sacrifice unduly. One must not be a fool, in other words.

The way to victory is to not be a fool, and to correctly use one's resolve...

A resolve to victory. An understanding of life's mystery.

We hope, someday, the mystery is at an end.

We hope there is not infinite deception.

We hope the correct argument leads to justice.

We hope that failure is vanquished.

We hope foolishness does not lead to undue suffering, or wisdom will not be created from nothing...

And created from nothing it must be...

Wisdom is the greatest victory we can know, and so it must always be created ex nihilo, from nothing.

Nothing is certain, unless there is certainty...

Nothing is substantial, without a corresponding material.

Nothing is absolute without even an essence of the total, a universal (universal meaning).

Nothing is right which does not displace what is wrong.

Yet the wise is not without foolishness.

For wisdom comes out of folly, inevitably, as it must be created from nothing.

We do not deny that wise men are like fools to chase after wisdom. Nonetheless, in theories at least, they come to possess it.

Therefore, not all is correct in the world.

Wisdom must be sought, such is the folly.

The folly, directed correctly, attains to the greatest thing.

So, must greatness be attained if such were possible, as without wisdom nothing can transpire.

So, it must be that the greatest man is a philosopher, as philosophy encompasses the entirety of the good of the world.

Thus, the possibility of the world is achieved, in many men just as in one.

So, one may aspire to god, or the roads that remain must be trifling.

So, one attains, and discovers the door soundly closed.

If one does not raise the latch, one remains forever in the dark,

Like a weird urchin.

So, the wisdom is hard to attain, as this image is difficult to acquire:

One peers in the dark, and sees a small light that is glinting.

If one does not seek it, one will not attain it,

So it is secret, and also contains everything.

Thus the world is held in shadow, and so the gods must have come to be,

First out of despair, then only gradually attaining to wisdom.

The Socratic Writings by Nathan Coppedge