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Hortatory Address to the Greeks
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Chapter 7: Inconsistencies in Plato's Theory.
IN THESE MATTERS: they are found guilty of being inconsistent in their thoughts. If anyone carefully analyzes their writings, they have not even decided to agree with their own views.
For instance, Plato sometimes says that there are three primary principles of the universe—God, matter, and form; but at another time, he mentions four, as he adds the universal soul.
Furthermore, even after initially claiming that matter is eternal, he later states that it is created; and after giving form its distinct status as a primary principle and asserting its self-existence, he later declares that it is among the things perceived by the mind.
Additionally, having first indicated that everything created is mortal, he later claims that some created things are indestructible and immortal. Why, then, do those who are considered wise among you disagree not only with each other but also with themselves? Clearly, it is their unwillingness to learn from those who know and their desire to achieve precise knowledge of heavenly things through their own excessive human wisdom, even though they could not understand earthly matters.
Indeed, some of your philosophers say that the human soul is within us; others claim it is around us.
They did not choose to agree even on this, but instead spread ignorance in various ways among themselves, arguing and debating with each other even about the soul. Some claim the soul is fire, others that it is air; some say it is the mind, others say it is motion; some argue it is an exhalation, while certain others suggest it is a power flowing from the stars; some say it is a number capable of motion, and others that it is generating water.
A completely confused and discordant opinion has prevailed among them, which appears commendable in only one aspect to those who can judge correctly—that they have been eager to prove each other wrong and false.