Meno by Plato (-371)

Name: Meno
Author: Plato

The dialogue revolves around the nature of knowledge and reality. Socrates engages with Meno's slave boy to demonstrate that knowledge can be acquired through questioning and recollection. The boy is able to arrive at mathematical concepts through a process of questioning, suggesting that knowledge is not innate but rather something that can be learned.

By Plato · First published -371 · Genre: Philosophy, Socratic Dialogue, Educational · 21,655 words

First lines

Persons of the dialogue: / Meno / Socrates / A Slave of Meno (Boy) / Anytus

Meno: Can you tell me, Socrates, whether virtue is acquired by teaching or by practice; or if neither by teaching nor by practice, then whether it comes to man by nature, or in what other way?

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Meno is listed on Textopian as an essay by Plato, dated 371 BCE.

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Work type: Essay
Author: Plato
Date: 371 BCE
Language: English
Genres: Philosophy, Socratic Dialogue, Educational, Metaphysics, Ethics
Length: 21,655 words
Structure: 1 section, 579 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Philosophy — The text explores fundamental questions about virtue, knowledge, and the nature of learning.
Socratic Dialogue — The work is structured as a dialogue featuring Socratic questioning to stimulate critical thinking.
Educational — It addresses methods of teaching and the process of acquiring knowledge.
Metaphysics — The discussion touches on the nature of reality and existence, particularly regarding knowledge and virtue.