The Meno by Plato. - HTML preview

49

Meno

MENO: True.

MENO: I think not, Socrates.

SOCRATES: Is he not better off in knowing his SOCRATES: Then he was the better for the ignorance?

torpedo’s touch?

MENO: I think that he is.

MENO: I think so.

SOCRATES: If we have made him doubt, and SOCRATES: Mark now the farther development.

given him the ‘torpedo’s shock,’have we done I shall only ask him, and not teach him, and he him any harm?

shall share the enquiry with me: and do you MENO: I think not.

watch and see if you find me telling or explain-SOCRATES: We have certainly, as would seem, ing anything to him, instead of eliciting his opin-assisted him in some degree to the discovery of ion. Tell me, boy, is not this a square of four feet the truth; and now he will wish to remedy his which I have drawn?

ignorance, but then he would have been ready BOY: Yes.

to tell all the world again and again that the SOCRATES: And now I add another square equal double space should have a double side.

to the former one?

MENO: True.

BOY: Yes.

SOCRATES: But do you suppose that he would SOCRATES: And a third, which is equal to either ever have enquired into or learned what he fan-of them?

cied that he knew, though he was really ignorant BOY: Yes.

of it, until he had fallen into perplexity under SOCRATES: Suppose that we fill up the vacant the idea that he did not know, and had desired to corner?

know?

BOY: Very good.