The Perils of Knowledge
There is an interesting moment in the Platonic dialogue Protagoras where Socrates, the champion of seeking knowledge, also cautions us about the nature of knowledge.1 It occurs when a companion of Socrates calls on him in the early morning, eagerly entreating him to accompany him to listen to the great Sophist Protagoras. Socrates eventually agrees, but warns his over-eager companion. He reasons that Sophists are like any other merchant, but instead of physical goods, they deal in the “food of the soul.