Recollection In Meno

Recollection in Plato's Phaedo and Meno As the earliest philosopher from whom we have written texts, Plato is often misrepresented as merely reproducing Socratic rhetoric. In Meno, one of the first Platonic dialogues, Plato offers his own unique philosophical theory, infused with his mentor's brilliant sophistry. Amidst discussing whether or not virtue can be taught, Meno poses a difficult paradox: How can one be virtuous, or seek virtue, when one cannot know what it is? "How will you aim

Meno: My two most memorable scenes from this dialogue are Socrates’ demonstration of recollection with the slave boy and the contrast between Meno, Anytus and the Slave boy. Socrates demonstrates what he refers to as recollection by asking Meno’s slave leading questions until he is able to demonstrate to the boy that the length of the side of a square whose area has been doubled in size is not double of the previous length as the boy previously thought. This method, called the Socratic method, has

1301.001 Word Count: Is Plato’s Theory of Recollection a plausible solution to Meno’s Paradox of Knowledge? The general topic is Plato’s theory of recollection. Is Plato’s Theory of Recollection the plausible solution to Meno’s Paradox of Knowledge? Throughout many of his dialogues Plato often concludes that we cannot know something through our senses. He often concludes that we became acquainted with our knowledge in a previous existence. In Meno, Socrates states that, “As the soul is immortal

In the Meno, Plato justifies the possibility for one’s mind to uncover knowledge. Knowing one can obtain knowledge motivates the mind to gain more knowledge. Plato explains the theory of recollection by first questioning what virtue is, then demonstrating the process through the questioning of a slave boy. Although a few weaknesses present themselves in Plato’s argument, Plato presents a valid theory on how our minds can obtain knowledge. This paper focuses on exploring Plato’s theory of recollection

“A process men call learning... discovering everything else for himself...for searching and learning are, as a whole, Recollection. In response to Socrates, Meno asks, “... how do you mean that we do not learn, but that what we call learning is Recollection (Meno 81d -e)?” I will delve into what Socrates ' Doctrine of Recollection proves and how Socrates wishes to use the definition in his philosophy. I will then give what context I wish to use the Doctrine in, which amendments I will implement

Socrates answer to Meno 's paradox was unsuccessful. First, I will explain what Meno 's paradox is and how the question of what virtue is was raised. Second, I will explain Socrates attempt to answer the paradox with his theory of recollection and how he believes the soul is immortal. Third, I will provide an argument for why his response was unsuccessful. This will involve looking at empirical questions, rather than non-empirical questions and how Socrates theory of recollection fails in this case

Plato’s dialogue Meno begins with Meno asking Socrates whether virtue can be taught. Socrates responds by saying that he does not have an answer to such question because he does not even have knowledge of what virtue is. This claim prompts Meno to provide Socrates with a definition of virtue. He explains that there are different virtues for different people dependent on their gender, age, and social class (Plato 872). Socrates, however, rejects this definition because it fails to provide a single

McIntyre Meno’s Paradox Meno and Socrates, found themselves in a debate over virtue. The men were trying to uncover the truth about how one acquires virtue; is it taught? Is it practiced? Or is it inborn? When Socrates proposes that they try to define virtue itself, because they do not know what it is to begin with, the men reach a disagreement. Both Socrates and Meno had very different views about how one acquires knowledge about virtue and all other things as well. Meno proposes a view, or a paradox

Meno’s paradox states that is impossible to gain new knowledge using inquiry. In this essay I will explain Meno’s paradox, and then I will analyse ‘the theory of recollection’, the solution to it given by Plato. In Plato’s Meno, Socrates and Meno attempt to answer the question, ‘What is virtue?’ Through this discussion, Meno is lead to question whether they are even able to arrive at an answer, presenting us with the paradox of inquiry, ‘And how will you enquire, Socrates, into that which you

If we apply this to the question of virtue, which is being considered in the Meno, neither Socrates nor Meno can define virtue, and so they do not know what virtue is, therefore they can not inquire about virtue. Socrates attempts to solve this paradox with his theory of recollection. He begins by speaking of the soul of man as being immortal - that it dies and is reborn, again and again. He goes on to say `seeing that