Musings on the Meno

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XIV

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2. Introduction to the Meno

   1. Introduction to the Meno

      • John E. Thomas

      Pages 1-24

3. Translation of the Meno

   1. Translation of the Meno

      • John E. Thomas

      Pages 25-67

4. Commentary

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 69-69

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   2. Socrates’ Elenchos at Work (70a1–81a7)

      1. The Opening Conversation: The relevance of the <i>Ti-Poion</i> Distinction (70a1–71b7)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 73-80

      2. Lesson One: Definition is not Enumeration (71e1–73c5)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 81-90

      3. Lesson Two: Correct Form isn’t Everything (73c8–75a9)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 91-95

      4. Models for Muddles (75b1–77a5)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 96-104

      5. Digression on the Logic of the What-is-<i>X</i> Question

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 105-113

      6. Lesson Three: You can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks (77a5–79e4)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 114-121

      7. Perplexity and Paradox (79e5–81a7)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 122-123

   3. Anamnēsis (81a10–86c6)

      1. Knowledge as Recollection: (i) Narration (81a10–82a6)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 127-147

      2. Knowledge as Recollection: (ii) Demonstration (82a8–86c6)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 148-162

   4. The Method of Hypothesis (86c7–100c2)

      1. Introduction of the Method: The Geometrical Example (86c7–87b2)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 165-170

      2. Application of the Method: ‘Virtue is Knowledge’ Established (87b2–89c4)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 171-178

      3. Ramification of the Method: ‘Virtue is Knowledge’ Challenged (89c5–96c10)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 179-200

      4. True Opinion <i>versus</i> Knowledge (96d1–100c2)

         • John E. Thomas

         Pages 201-209

5. Back Matter

   Pages 211-222

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The objectives of this book are to provide a new translation of Plato's M eno together with a series of studies on its philcisophical argument in the light of recent secondary literature. My translation is based mainly on the Oxford Classical Text, 1. Burnet's Platonis Opera (Oxford Clarendon Press 1900) Vol. III. In conjunction with this I have made extensive use of R.S. Bluck's Plato's Meno (Cam­ bridge University Press, 1964). At critical places in the dialogue I have also consulted A. Croiset's Gorgias, Menon (Bude text). My debt ~o two other sources will be clearly in evidence. They are E.S. Thompson's Plato's Meno (London, MacMillan 1901), and St. George Stock's The Meno of Plato (Oxford Clarendon Press, 1894). One of the greatest difficulties facing a translator is to achieve a balance between accuracy and elegance. Literal translations are more likely to be accurate, but, alas, they also tend to be duller. Free translations run into the opposite danger of paying for elegance and liveliness with the coin of inaccuracy. Another hurdle, for a translator of a Platonic dialogue, is posed by the challenge to maintain the conversational pattern and fast­ moving character of the discussion. This is easier where the exchang~s are short, but much more difficult where Socrates gets somewhat long-winded.

• Plato
• Socrates
• dialogue
• logic

Policies and ethics