Socrates believes he has solved Meno's Paradox by denying that a person can never know that they have found what they are inquiring about.  Socrates theorizes that if inquiring about what one does not know is a process of recollecting what one has already learned, then it is possible to inquire about what one does not know.  Socrates assumes that recollection is the only way to explain how it is that the ignorant child (Meno's slaveboy) is able to correctly answer Socrates' questions about the properties of a geometrical shape.   Did the boy learn these answers in a previous life?  Are his answers innate?  Or does Socrates' example prove only that the boy has the ability to reason?

Socrates believes he has solved Meno's Paradox by denying that a person can never know that they have found what they are inquiring about. Socrates theorizes that if inquiring about what one does not know is a process of recollecting what one has already learned, then it is possible to inquire about what one does not know. Socrates assumes that recollection is the only way to explain how it is that the ignorant child (Meno's slaveboy) is able to correctly answer Socrates' questions about the properties of a geometrical shape. Did the boy learn these answers in a previous life? Are his answers innate? Or does Socrates' example prove only that the boy has the ability to reason?

Meno (cont.) EP 9 Learning as Recollection

Do you need help understanding the great books of philosophy?  In his podcasts, Professor Laurence Houlgate reads and discusses the classic works of Plato, Thomas Hobbes, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill, and David Hume. His short readings are based on his acclaimed Smart Student's Guides to Philosophical Classics series (learn more at <a href="http://www.houlgatebooks.com" rel="noopener">www.houlgatebooks.com</a>).  The episodes begin with the dialogues of Plato and will continue week by week through each chapter of Understanding Plato. For those who want to read along, a digital or print copy of the book can be purchased at Amazon.com at this address:   <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I5GAIJI" rel="noopener">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I5GAIJI</a><br />New episodes will usually be broadcast weekly on Monday evening at 5 p.m. PST.

Society & Culture

Philosophy

Do you need help understanding the great books of philosophy? In his podcasts, Professor Laurence Houlgate reads and discusses the classic works of Plato, Thomas Hobbes, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill, and David Hume. His short readings are based on his acclaimed Smart Student's Guides to Philosophical Classics series (learn more at www.houlgatebooks.com). The episodes begin with the dialogues of Plato and will continue week by week through each chapter of Understanding Plato. For those who want to read along, a digital or print copy of the book can be purchased at Amazon.com at this address: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I5GAIJINew episodes will usually be broadcast weekly on Monday evening at 5 p.m. PST.

Do you need help understanding the great books of philosophy?  In his podcasts, Professor Laurence Houlgate reads and discusses the classic works of Plato, Thomas Hobbes, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill, and David Hume. His short readings are based on his acclaimed Smart Student's Guides to Philosophical Classics series (learn more at <a href="http://www.houlgatebooks.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.houlgatebooks.com</a>).  The episodes begin with the dialogues of Plato and will continue week by week through each chapter of Understanding Plato. For those who want to read along, a digital or print copy of the book can be purchased at Amazon.com at this address:   <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I5GAIJI" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I5GAIJI</a><br>New episodes will usually be broadcast weekly on Monday evening at 5 p.m. PST.

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Meno (cont.) EP 9 Learning as Recollection

Meno (cont.) EP 9 Learning as Recollection

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