Plato, Philebus, section 54a

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[54a] as the discussion proceeds.

Protarchus
I hope so.

Socrates
Let us take another pair.

Protarchus
What are they?

Socrates
One is the generation of all things (the process of coming into being), the other is existence or being.

Protarchus
I accept your two, generation and being.

Socrates
Quite right. Now which of these shall we say is for the sake of the other, generation for the sake of being, or being for the sake of generation?

Protarchus
You are now asking whether that which is called being is what it is for the sake of generation?

Socrates
Yes, plainly.

Plato. Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vol. 9 translated by Harold N. Fowler. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1925.

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