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Plato's meno
98
Define your parameters
Elenchus....A Socratic experiment whereby a concept is examined in light of its properties
It's a process of a Question followed by an answer: the answer is usually in the form of a definition;
words are probed for meaning and answers may have to be clarified
if the definition is sound it is accepted, if not then a counter argument has to be provided that demonstrates the failure of the definition
Sophistry is useless
Sophists collected fees from their students and taught the art of rhetoric, poetry, and other sophisticated communication techniques. They enjoyed far flung theories and quoting poets.
Socrates on the other hand believed that knowledge was something to be recollected, not given. Teachers thus did not teach, but help students express what they already knew
The sophos does not 'teach', but acts as a 'midwife'... helping the student draw from within since knowledge is innate
Be Honest, Simple, and Clear
Aporia
The Socratic position that it is better to admit ignorance than claim to know something you're not certain of
Socrates is famous for bringing the experts to the conclusion that while they claim to know something, they in fact don't...for this he was called a 'gad fly' and a 'stingray'.
Socratic irony was a way of attracting dialogue with 'experts' only to discover that the opponent either didn't know what they were talking about, or that they lacked clarity and parsimony
Seek Universals
Form
we look for generalities when we define concepts that contain elements that are similar but not the same. Consistency and generality are crucial to philosophy
Plato believed that all things that exist are but reflections of a perfect Form. Forms are eternal
Introductory ideas
Socratic Method
The purpose of argument is to move closer to an absolute truth (bulls eye)
To 'know' something one has to be able to justify it as true, and believe it to be so....
Let's try it!
read 71e -72d