Reflection Of Meno's Paradox

Throughout our lifetime we are always in the pursuit of knowledge. This search of knowledge is part of being a rational thinking human being. In the “Meno”, Socrates is given a logical dilemma in the form of Meno’s Paradox that questions our ability as humans to learn anything at all. There have been many ways people have answered this dilemma. Socrates answers this dilemma through his Theory of Recollection. This may not be the best way to answer Meno’s Paradox and there might be a better way to answer it. We always have partial knowledge on the subject at hand and when we learn we are merely building upon that already learned knowledge.
Meno’s Paradox arises during a discussion between Socrates and Meno as they try to figure out whether virtue can be taught. During this dialogue Meno brings up the paradox, which goes something like this. If you know the answer to something there is no need for you to seek an answer for it because you already know it. If you don’t know the answer to something and you try and seek the answer, you will never know if the answer you receive is correct because you have no knowledge of it in the first place. You also have no idea where to look for it or what it actually is. …show more content…
Socrates method, Theory of Recollection, is practical but might not be optimal. Discovery of new knowledge happens by first hypothesizing on the subject at hand and then experimenting on that hypothesis. If that hypothesis is proven false then the hypothesis is revaluated and tested over and over again until resolution or exhaustion ensues. In order for you to learn you must already have had previous partial knowledge of the subject in order to further build upon that subject. As you build upon the subject at hand you are merely just building on the partial knowledge you already have. This is a cycle that repeats itself until our thirst for knowledge