Meno [Paperback]

Plato (Author), Benjamin Jowett (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006 | ISBN-10: 142092687X | ISBN-13: 978-1420926873

The "Meno" begins abruptly with a question of Meno, who asks, 'whether virtue can be taught.' Socrates replies that he does not as yet know what virtue is, and has never known anyone who did. 'Then he cannot have met Gorgias when he was at Athens.' Yes, Socrates had met him, but he has a bad memory, and has forgotten what Gorgias said. Will Meno tell him his own notion, which is probably not very different from that of Gorgias? 'O yes-nothing easier: there is the virtue of a man, of a woman, of an old man, and of a child; there is a virtue of every age and state of life, all of which may be easily described.' Here is presented the classic introduction and translation of Benjamin Jowett.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: Greek, English --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

Library of Liberal Arts title. --This text refers to the Spiral-bound edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Digireads.com (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 142092687X
• ISBN-13: 978-1420926873
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,565,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, August 23, 2011

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Mr. Steiner (New York) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Plato's Meno (Special Edition for Students) (Paperback)

To my mind the Meno is among the most mysterious of Plato's dialogues. Beginning with a discussion as to whether virtue can be taught, the interlocutors move into an inquiry into the nature of knowledge itself. Here we get a famous scene in which Plato demonstrates his theory of knowledge as recollection through an illustration in geometry. This is principally a work of epistemology, but it remains a strangely oblique portrait of eidetic truth.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I needed, but made it work, September 22, 2011

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For Class - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Plato's Meno (Special Edition for Students) (Paperback)

I purchased this for a college course as it was not available in the campus bookstore. When I received it I was a bit upset as it does not have numbered lines, like most copies of this do. I found a way to make it work, but it required a lot of extra work on my part. I couldn't send it back because we received such short notice to get it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, March 8, 2011

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ceresbear (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Plato's Meno (Special Edition for Students) (Paperback)

An interesting look at what virtue is, and whether or not it can be taught. Plato places his mentor Socrates in the "driver's seat" of this conversation with Meno, one of his students. They discuss virtue, and the fact that A virtue is not the same as virtue itself. Socrates/Plato then continues on to debunk the idea that merit based on fighting skill/willingness, good judgment, or any of the other Greek notions of virtue are actually virtuous. This book gives insight into Greek thought and culture as it becomes a point for thought in this day and age. What, exactly, is virtue?

This particular edition has a lot of room on each side to enter notes and is a very readable and understandable translation of the original.