Hume Essay Research Paper In the Meno

Hume Essay, Research Paper

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.

The discussion of Plato s theory of recollection evolved from a single question, What is virtue? When questioning Meno on the single definition of virtue, Plato was never satisfied. He never accepted Meno s answers because Meno gave virtuous definitions, not virtue s definition. For example, Meno claimed, if you want a woman s virtue, that is easily described. She must be a good housewife, careful with her stores and obedient to her husband. Then there is another virtue for a child, male or female, and another for an old man, free or slave (Plato s Meno). All of these are examples of how a person s role becomes virtuous but never defines what virtue really is. Plato questions Meno s self-knowledge of virtue, but Meno expounds virtuous characteristics rather than giving a definition of virtue. This presents a problem because if Meno does not know what virtue really is, then he cannot apply which characteristics associate with virtue and which do not. When Plato asks, Does anyone know what a part of virtue is, without knowing the whole? (Plato s Meno), Meno agrees this is simply impossible. This presents a logical argument against Meno s definition(s) of virtue.

Plato believes the conversation to search for what virtue really is should continue despite achieving no success in their first efforts to form a satisfactory definition. Meno becomes very aggravated with Plato and proposes a valid argument to him. Meno exclaims,

And how will you inquire, (Plato), into that of which you are totally ignorant? What sort of thing, among those things which you know not, will you put forth as the object of your seeking? And even if you should chance upon it, how will you ever know that it is the thing which you not know? (Plato s Meno)

Although Meno s paradox seems to be merely a dodge of proceeding to continue and ponder the true meaning of what virtue really is, the (paradox) is one of real philosophical importance and is basic for understanding the Theory of Ideas and the related notion of Recollection (Plato s Meno:Text and Criticism). The problem with this paradox is that in order to discover the definition of virtue, one must use reflection and logical insight, not research and proof. If the question under discussion had been a merely empirical one-e.g., How many citizens are there in Athens? -then Meno s objection would have been utterly pointless, for this is a question to be answered by counting heads and not by reflection (Plato s Meno:Text and Criticism). Plato, who has confronted this paradox before, told Meno the argument was an excuse for indolence: and hence we must not give ear to this specious argument, for it will make us idle, and is pleasing only to the slothful (Plato s Meno). Plato strongly believes in this concept and discusses his thoughts furthermore:

I am ready to fight for as long as I can, in word and act: that is, that we shall be better, braver and more active men if we believe it right to look for what we don t know that if we believe there is no point in looking because what we don t know we can never discover. (Plato s Meno).

The concept this point made by Plato explores the subject that one not only obtains knowledge through perception but can also obtain knowledge through reason and hard work.

Plato expresses his theory of recollection, due to Meno s difficulty in his search for virtue and to motivate Meno not to give up. Plato first explains the soul of man is immortal and has been born many times. The soul already has learned everything from the past. This means, the soul has the ability to recollect information and knowledge from the past. There is no reason why (one) should not find out all the rest (from a single piece of knowledge), if one keeps a stout heart and does not grow weary of the search, for seeking and learning are in fact nothing but recollection (Plato s Meno). This new kind of knowledge confuses Meno and he cannot quite grasp the whole concept of knowledge derived from the soul. To better explain himself, Plato calls a slave boy over to him to demonstrate the process in which a person goes about obtaining knowledge from the soul. Plato uses a geometric equation that the boy does not know. Plato asks him directatory questions until he derives the answer. Plato never gave him any new knowledge but through his line of questioning the boy recollected the answer. Therefore, the boy must have known the answer the whole time but simply forgot the knowledge needed. This demonstration illustrates Plato s doctrine of knowledge, Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting (Plato s Meno:Text and Criticism). Meno now understands and agrees with Plato s viewpoints on how one retains knowledge through recollection.

Although Meno does agree with Plato s theory of recollection, the theory is still weak. When Plato speaks of the slave boy s recovery of knowledge within himself and by himself , the theory fails to explain how t