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Stranger
Str. And surely if we say the art of making the warp or the woof is the art of weaving, we are employing an irrational and false designation.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Of course.
10
Stranger
Str. Well then, shall we say that the whole arts of fulling and mending are no part of the care and treatment of clothes, or shall we declare that these also are entirely included in the art of weaving?
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. By no means.
Stranger
Str. But surely all these will contest the claim of the art of weaving in the matter of the treatment and the production of clothes; they will grant that the part of weaving is the most important, but will claim that their own parts are of some importance, too.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Yes, certainly.
Stranger
Str. Then we must believe that besides these the arts which produce the tools by means of which the works of weaving are accomplished will claim to be collaborators in every work of weaving.
15
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Quite right.
Stranger
Str. Will our definition of the art of weaving (I mean the part of it we selected) be satisfactory if we say that of all the activities connected with woollen clothing it is the noblest and the greatest? Or would that, although it contains some truth, yet lack clearness and completeness until we separate from weaving all these other arts?
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. You are right.
Stranger
Str. Then shall our next move be to do this, that our discussion may proceed in due order?
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Certainly.
20
Stranger
Str. First, then, let us observe that there are two arts involved in all production.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. What are they?
