Character of dialogues immediately preceding--much transcendental assertion. Opposite character of the Parmenides 56 Sokrates is the juvenile defendant--Parmenides the veteran censor and cross-examiner. Parmenides gives a specimen of exercises to be performed by the philosophical aspirant _ib._ Circumstances and persons of the Parmenides 57 Manner in which the doctrine of Parmenides was impugned. Manner in which his partisan Zeno defended him 58 Sokrates here impugns the doctrine of Zeno. He affirms the Platonic theory of ideas separate from sensible objects, yet participable by them 60 Parmenides and Zeno admire the philosophical ardour of Sokrates. Parmenides advances objections against the Platonic theory of Ideas 60 What Ideas does Sokrates recognise? Of the Just and Good? Yes. Of Man, Horse, &c.? Doubtful. Of Hair, Mud, &c.? No _ib._ Parmenides declares that no object in nature is mean to the philosopher 61 Remarks upon this--Contrast between emotional and scientific classification _ib._ Objections of Parmenides--How can objects participate in the Ideas. Each cannot have the whole Idea, nor a part thereof 62 Comparing the Idea with the sensible objects partaking in the Idea, there is a likeness between them which must be represented by a higher Idea--and so on _ad infinitum_ 63 Are the Ideas conceptions of the mind, and nothing more? Impossible 64 The Ideas are types or exemplars, and objects partake of them by being likened to them. Impossible 65 If Ideas exist, they cannot be knowable by us. We can know only what is relative to ourselves. Individuals are relative to individuals: Ideas relative to Ideas _ib._ Forms can be known only through the Form of Cognition, which we do not possess 66 Form of cognition, superior to our Cognition, belongs to the Gods. We cannot know them, nor can they know us _ib._ Sum total of objections against the Ideas is grave. But if we do not admit that Ideas exist, and that they are knowable, there can be no dialectic discussion 67 Dilemma put by Parmenides--Acuteness of his objections 68 The doctrine which Parmenides attacks is the genuine Platonic theory of Ideas. His objections are never answered in any part of the Platonic dialogues _ib._ Views of Stallbaum and Socher. The latter maintains that Plato would never make such objections against his own theory, and denies the authenticity of the Parmenidês 69 Philosophers are usually advocates, each of a positive system of his own 70 Different spirit of Plato in his Dialogues of Search _ib._ The Parmenidês is the extreme manifestation of the negative element. That Plato should employ one dialogue in setting forth the negative case against the Theory of Ideas is not unnatural 71 Force of the negative case in the Parmenidês. Difficulties about participation of sensible objects in the world of Ideas _ib._