The Argument for the Immortality of the Soul When Socrates and Meno are halted in their argument by a paradox, Socrates proposes a new idea that will solve the paradox and continue their conversation. He states that the soul is immortal and it has learned everything in past lives. Thus, what men call learning is actually a process of recollection. I will first be giving context as to how this idea came into the dialogue with Meno. Next, I will explain how he puts the same idea forward in Phaedo and then noting the differences between the two dialogues. I will then point out a weakness in the argument and discuss how the idea is of the soul’s immortality in regards to learning as recollection is not flawless.
At the start of the dialogue, Meno asks Socrates whether or not virtue can be taught. However, before Socrates answers, he says that they must first find out what virtue is. Meno believes he knows the answer, but Socrates thinks otherwise. This is seen in the dialogue when Socrates is critical of Meno saying, “A man’s virtue consists of being able to manage public affairs . . . [and] the virtue of a woman . . . [is to] manage the home well” (Plato, Meno 71e). …show more content…
Just as mentioned in Meno, the thought that learning is no other than recollection remains a key point in the argument in Phaedo’s dialogue. Socrates talks about how “recollection can be occasioned by things that are similar, but it can also be occasioned by things that are dissimilar” (Plato, Phaedo 74a). By this, he means that the sight of something can make one think of another thing. As an example, Socrates uses lovers and how seeing an object that their beloved might use would remind them of the lover. He also says how, in a similar way, when one sees “a picture of Simmias, [they] recollect Simmias, himself,” and gives this as the explanation for the process of recollection (Plato, Phaedo
At the start of the dialogue, Meno asks Socrates whether or not virtue can be taught. However, before Socrates answers, he says that they must first find out what virtue is. Meno believes he knows the answer, but Socrates thinks otherwise. This is seen in the dialogue when Socrates is critical of Meno saying, “A man’s virtue consists of being able to manage public affairs . . . [and] the virtue of a woman . . . [is to] manage the home well” (Plato, Meno 71e). …show more content…
Just as mentioned in Meno, the thought that learning is no other than recollection remains a key point in the argument in Phaedo’s dialogue. Socrates talks about how “recollection can be occasioned by things that are similar, but it can also be occasioned by things that are dissimilar” (Plato, Phaedo 74a). By this, he means that the sight of something can make one think of another thing. As an example, Socrates uses lovers and how seeing an object that their beloved might use would remind them of the lover. He also says how, in a similar way, when one sees “a picture of Simmias, [they] recollect Simmias, himself,” and gives this as the explanation for the process of recollection (Plato, Phaedo