Meno's Paradox

As one of the most intelligent philosophers Socrates once said “An unexamined life is not worth living”. “True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing”. “To find yourself, think for yourself”. Socrates words only push towards the evidence that Meno’s paradox can be resolved. In the dialogue Meno, Meno himself is seeking to know how virtue can be taught, Meno started with the creation of what is now known as Meno’s paradox. Which is the view of what people should consider to be the inquiry of knowing and not knowing. When someone creates a viewpoint on a topic there will always be someone that is the refuter. In this case Socrates falls into the category as the refuter. And as Socrates taking action as the refuter he simply answers …show more content…
In the beginning of the dialogue there is a discussion that Meno and Socrates have which is the question whether virtue can be taught or not? (Meno 70a). Socrates will not answer this question without actually knowing what virtue is. But Meno was acting very ignorant in the beginning when he tried to define what virtue was. Meno tried to make a definition for what virtue claimed to be but failed every time. Meno stated that virtue is justice. But before that comment Meno stated that virtue is a kind of justice. So Meno kept switching up what he believed virtue was. But because Meno was being ignorant, he changed the topic and went into a remembrance about his paradox. Which caused Socrates to grasp into his philosophical state of mind too. In Meno’s paradox he explicitly says the following “…how are you going to inquire about it…when you do not know what it is? For what sort of thing, from among the ones you do not know, will you take as an object of your inquiry? And even if you do happen to bump into it, how are you going to know what it is the thing you did not know?” (Meno 80d-80e). Which can be …show more content…
Socrates believes that the slave boy has knowledge about mathematics already inside his mind. The salve boy, that Socrates questions, has no education and has never been taught or exposed to any mathematics. Socrates creates a square to demonstrate to the slave boy of what exactly he will ask him about. Then, Socrates divides the square that he drew in the beginning, and drew four equal parts into the square. As Socrates asks the slave boy questions, Socrates determines that one side of a square is four feet and the area is two feet long. He then asks the slave boy to determine the length of the side of a square that is double the area. In response the slave boy says the wrong answer that the side would be four feet, which is double the length of the first square that Socrates showed the slave boy. Through Socrates questions, the boy tends to make excessive errors but since the boy comes to a realization of his mistake and is helped by Socrates, the slave-boy came to a conclusion that is known to be trial-and-error (Meno82b-85c). This demonstration by Socrates leads him to declare to Meno that, one does not need to understand mathematics, rather the individual just needs to have someone give and ask them the right questions. Because this will lead them on the path of recollection. As Socrates says about his demonstration with the slave boy