Meno and Other Dialogues by Plato Plato; Waterfield Robin;

Author:Plato, Plato; Waterfield, Robin;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Published: 2005-04-22T16:00:00+00:00

MENO

MENO: I wonder whether you can tell me, Socrates, whether excellence is teachable or, if not teachable, at least a product of habituation. Or perhaps it isn’t the kind of thing one can practise or learn, but is a natural human endowment. If not, how do people become good?*

70a

SOCRATES: Meno, in the past the Thessalians were famous and admired throughout the Greek world for their skill with horses and for their wealth,* but I get the impression that now they’re

admired for their knowledge too–and the foremost Thessalians

b

in this respect are the people of Larisa, the fellow citizens of your friend Aristippus. You have Gorgias to thank for this new attainment of yours. When he came to Larisa, he ignited a passion for his wisdom in the leading Aleuadae, including your lover Aristippus, as well as in the general population. One of the main things he did was get you into this habit of fearlessly giving grand answers to any question that is put to you. But this is no more than one would expect from men of knowledge,

given that he himself invites questions on any topic from anyone

c

in Greece and never fails to provide them with answers.*

We’re in the opposite situation here in Athens, though, my dear Meno: we’re parched of knowledge, so to speak, and it

looks as though it has emigrated from hereabouts to you. At

71a

any rate, if you were to put your question to anyone here, you would undoubtedly meet with a laugh and the reply: ‘Stranger, you must take me to be high in the gods’ favour, if you really think I know whether or not excellence is teachable or how people come to get it. So far from knowing whether or not it’s teachable, I don’t even have the faintest idea what excellence

is.’ So that’s how I’m placed as well, Meno: I’m no better off

b

than my fellow citizens in this matter, and I tell myself off for my utter ignorance about excellence. And if I don’t know what a thing is, how can I know what sort of a thing it is? Or do you think that someone who is utterly ignorant of who Meno is could know whether he’s good-looking or rich or well born, or whether he has the opposite attributes? Do you think that’s possible?*

MENO: No, I don’t. But do you really not know what excellence

is, Socrates? Is this part of what we’re to tell people at home

c

about you?

SOCRATES: Yes, my friend, and you can add that I don’t think I’ve yet met anyone else who knew what it was.

MENO: What? Didn’t you meet Gorgias when he was here?

SOCRATES: Yes, I did.*

MENO: And did you still not think he knew?

SOCRATES: I’m rather forgetful, Meno, so I can’t say now what I thought of him then. Maybe he does know —and maybe you know what he used to say. If so, remind me what it was, or, if

you prefer, tell me in your own words, since I suppose you

d

share his opinion.

MENO: Yes, I do.

SOCRATES: Then let’s leave him out of it: he’s not here, after all.

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