How would one search for knowledge

How would one search for knowledge? The things which he knows requires no search, for he already knows. The things which he does not know, he does not know what he’s going to search for - this is Meno’s Paradox, also called the Sophistic Paradox.

In Meno, Plato eliminates the paradox by developing his theory of recollection through Socrates. A contradiction is an always-false statement. For example, if P is any statement, then P and the negation of P is a contradiction. A contradiction cannot be made true. A paradox, however, is a set of statements that leads one into a contradiction. So a paradox misleads us.

The sophistic paradox tells us that we have no way to acquire knowledge. However, the sophistic paradox must be an illusion since we do acquire knowledge. It is reasonable, then, to look for a problem in the exposition of the paradox. Plato does the investigation and he finds a way out of the problem.

Socrates explains that the human soul is immortal and has been born many times. The soul has seen everything that there is to be seen and there is nothing that it has not learned. Therefore, it is not absurd to believe that it’s possible for the soul to recollect things that it already knows from past existences. What men call learning, Socrates calls recollection. But we have no evidence for souls, immortality, et cetera; we have no considerable evidence of these things; so Plato’s theory is unfounded. However, the conclusion of his theory has interesting implications in education, as we shall see.

In Meno, Socrates presents a geometrical problem after having Meno’s attendant agree on the definition of a square. It is understood that the problem is to find a square with twice the size of the first. Socrates initiates a series of suggestions followed by questions that induces the boy into concluding a false statement, then into a correction, and finally to a correct solution. Since the boy is only suggested to, questioned, and induced.

Socrates concludes that the boy already had the knowledge needed to solve the problem and has only recollected it. Socrates’ experiment with Meno’s attendant is an evidence of the existence of the possibility of learning. It proves something, as Sharples would put it. Whatever Plato’s plan was, he would be able to successfully eliminate the paradox if he could provide one example in which knowledge is acquired. If learning is possible, then the sophistic paradox poses an illusory impossibility.

Plato’s emphasis is on the existence of the method of recollection. He is not even concerned with how to apply the method. If he were, we would see a lot more arguments that confirm that Meno’s attendant really learned what he learned, and we would also see examples that illustrate the method. But we don’t, so Plato is not concerned with these; Plato is mainly concerned with the fact that the boy saw the result by himself; that he acquired that knowledge by himself. Socrates shows him the way, and he is able to see it with his own mind.

Socrates shows A and B, and the boy is able to confirm, in his brain, that there is something that tells him if A, then B and therefore he draws the imaginary arrow from A to B - we will have more to say about this later.

1. What is the primary purpose of this passage?

  1. To explain the basis for and critically analyse Plato’s theory of recollection.
  2. To prove the fallacy inherent in the Sophistic Paradox.
  3. To discuss the paradox that exists in man’s search for knowledge.
  4. To compare Socrates’ and Plato’s observations from the experiment on Meno’s attendant.

2. Which one of these is mentioned as Plato’s main concern?

  1. The implication of a theory developed by him.
  2. Proving Socrates’ views on the method of recollection.
  3. The immortality of the soul as an axiom of Plato’s theory.
  4. The existence of a theory developed by him.

3. Which of the following can be inferred about Plato’s theory of recollection?

  1. The human soul has seen everything there is to be seen.
  2. The human soul reincarnates.
  3. The human soul recollects truths.
  4. The human soul is immortal.

4. Why does the author claim that the Sophistic Paradox is an illusion?

  1. Plato is unable to provide an example in which learning is acquired.
  2. Socrates claims that learning is not acquired, yet his experiment proves otherwise.
  3. Reincarnation makes it possible for the soul to have a recollection of truths before birth.
  4. Learning is possible and knowledge can be acquired.

Answers

  1. B
  2. D
  3. C
  4. D