Overview
The lecture covers Plato's "Meno," focusing on the inquiry into the nature of virtue, whether virtue can be taught, the method of philosophical inquiry, and the distinction between knowledge and true belief.
Socratic Inquiry and Definition of Virtue
- Meno asks Socrates if virtue is acquired by teaching, practice, or nature.
- Socrates insists they must define what virtue is before determining its nature.
- Meno lists different virtues for men, women, and children; Socrates asks for a general definition.
- Socrates guides Meno to seek what all virtues have in common.
- Meno proposes virtue is the ability to rule, but Socrates shows this is insufficient.
The Search for a Definition
- Socrates uses examples like shape and color to demonstrate how to give definitions.
- Meno struggles to define virtue universally, cycling through partial definitions.
- Socratic questioning leads both to aporia (perplexity), leaving them unsure of what virtue is.
The Paradox of Inquiry and Doctrine of Recollection
- Meno introduces a paradox: How can you search for something you don't know?
- Socrates responds with the theory of recollection: the soul is immortal and "learning" is recollecting knowledge from past lives.
- Socrates demonstrates this by helping a slave boy solve a geometry problem, suggesting knowledge is within, awaiting recollection.
Virtue: Teachable or Not?
- Socrates suggests investigating if virtue is teachable by using a hypothesis, like mathematicians do.
- If virtue is knowledge, it must be teachable; if not, it isn’t.
- Socrates and Meno discuss if there are teachers of virtue and find none, questioning its teachability.
Knowledge vs. True Belief
- Socrates distinguishes between knowledge (stable and teachable) and true belief (correct but unstable).
- True belief can guide actions as effectively as knowledge but is unreliable.
- Without teachers, virtue cannot be knowledge, yet it still benefits individuals and cities.
The Role of the Divine and Conclusion
- Socrates suggests virtue may come by divine dispensation or inspiration rather than teaching or nature.
- The inquiry into virtue’s essence must come before deciding how it can be acquired.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Virtue — Moral excellence; the quality that enables people to act rightly.
- Aporia — State of puzzlement or impasse in philosophical inquiry.
- Doctrine of Recollection — Idea that learning is recalling knowledge from the soul’s previous existences.
- True Belief — Correct belief that guides action but lacks rational foundation.
- Knowledge — Justified true belief; stable and teachable understanding.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the argument flow from Socratic questioning to the theory of recollection.
- Reflect on the differences between knowledge and true belief.
- Consider the significance of defining terms clearly in philosophical discussions.