The work “Meno” raises many questions as to the way in which we perceive, access, and describe our world and ourselves. What I have derived from the text is that knowledge is, in most basic form as true opinion, inherent and innate to, at least, the human soul; however, as Socrates so blatantly points out in passages 81d and 86b, when we believe we know, we cease to look for answers, soon become lazy and diminish our capacity to expound upon the "recollected" knowledge that already exists in our "souls." While it may cause discomfort and the aggravation of perplexity once we have been proved to not know what we supposed we knew, it pushes us in a direction to explore and also gives us to opportunity to find truth for ourselves--our "personal truths" if you will. When we continue to push beyond the boundaries of what we have been given and believe to know, we earn the right to knowledge. The only way to gather this knowledge, however, is not to be fed by those who simply come before and assert that they know but to seek and inquire for oneself. The seeds of past knowledge, in my opinion, dwell within us all as well as the basis of true opinion that, through questioning (85d/86b) and pinning them down through this questioning (98a), becomes knowledge; and while this knowledge lies dormant, it is only provoked and improved through inquiry and a desire to develop these “true opinions.”
-Jessica Spradlin
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I think knowledge is something we learn over a period of time. After we have dealt with different situations, problems, and life situations will bring knowledge to one's self. It is one's own personally opinion of a situation, whether it is right or wrong.
ReplyDeleteI definately think you've captured what Socrates thinks regarding recollection and knowledge on this point that you have to do it yourself and continue to learn and recollect so that you don't become lazy.
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