Meno: Virtue, recollection, and form in Plato's dialogue

A set of practice flashcards covering key concepts, arguments, and characters from Plato's Meno. Each card asks a question about the text and provides a concise answer.

Who is Meno?

A young Thessalian aristocrat, ally of Athens; Anytus is his host and sponsor.

What question does Meno ask Socrates at the start?

Whether virtue can be taught, learned, or is innate, and what virtue itself is.

What is the slave geometry demonstration in Meno about?

Socrates questions a slave boy to show that the boy can arrive at the correct solution to doubling a square by questioning, suggesting recollection.

What does Socrates claim about the soul and knowledge?

The soul is immortal and contains all knowledge; learning is recollection.

What are the two main hypotheses Socrates considers about virtue after the geometry episode?

Virtue is knowledge (teachable) or virtue is god-given right opinion (not teachable).

How does Meno initially describe virtue for different people?

Virtue varies by status (man, woman, child, slave, etc.), with different descriptions for each role.

What paradox about inquiry does Meno raise?

That one cannot search for what one already knows or for what one does not know.

What is the 'hypothesis' method Socrates introduces?

Proposing tentative theories (hypotheses) about virtue and testing them through questioning.

How does Socrates define 'shape' in the dialogue?

Shape is that which limits a solid; the form that makes something what it is.

What does 'the same form' mean in relation to virtue?

There is one form that all virtues share; virtue has a single underlying form.

Why does Socrates reject virtue as many separate virtues?

If virtue were many things, there would be no single form; he seeks a unified form of virtue.

How does Meno define virtue in terms of desire and possession?

Virtue is the capacity to desire good things and to secure them.

What does Socrates say about those who desire bad things?

They may believe bad things are good; knowledge affects whether desires are truly aimed at the good.

What is the torpedo fish image used in Meno?

Meno likens Socrates to a torpedo fish that perplexes (numbs) his interlocutors, prompting closer examination; Socrates reframes the effect as awakening inquiry.

Who is Gorgias in the dialogue?

A renowned rhetorician whose ideas on virtue Meno has learned from.

Who is Anytus in the dialogue?

A democratic Athenian politician who accuses Socrates and hosts Meno.

What does the slave experiment demonstrate about recollection?

It shows that through questioning the slave recalls knowledge he did not learn in the present life, illustrating recollection.

How is Phaedo connected to Meno's themes?

Phaedo expands the recollection theory and introduces Platonic Forms as objects of recollection.

What is the 'unity of virtue' thesis Socrates pursues?

All virtuous acts share one form; virtue is a single, unified reality rather than a collection of separate traits.

How are justice and moderation treated in the discussion of virtue?

They are parts of virtue, but Socrates pushes toward understanding virtue as a whole rather than merely listing parts.

What is the final aim of the dialogue’s inquiry?

To determine what virtue is, and whether it is teachable, by examining its nature through questions and recollection.

What is 'recollection' and how is it connected to learning in Meno?

Learning is recollection; the soul already knows, and questioning helps recover that knowledge.

What is Socrates’ teaching method in this dialogue?

Asking questions and guiding the interlocutor to discover answers through dialogue rather than direct teaching.

What contrast does Socrates draw between Thessaly and Athens regarding wisdom?

Thessalians are said to have a reputation for wisdom due to figures like Gorgias; Athens appears to lack wisdom in this moment.

What other figures are referenced (Prodicus, Empedocles, Pindar) and why?

Prodicus (sophist on words), Empedocles (sensory theory), Pindar (poet) are cited as authorities to discuss sense, perception, and definitions.