Plato’s Meno

Week 7: Can virtue be taught? — Anytus’ claim

For this class (and ideally, each subsequent session) please have the whole of the Meno read in advance. In particular, though, today we will be concentrating on 92c-96d.

Anytus’ claim that virtue is passed along from father to son (92c-92e)

This adumbrates to some extent the arguments we hear from Anytus in the Apology. He relies on the cumulative wisdom of the people (a loosely formed notion of democracy, perhaps) to provide this essential kernel of the upbringing of the young.

Socrates’ counterexamples (92e-94e)

As often, Socrates attacks the overly general assertion with a hail of specific points of disagreement. Are they valid points of dissent? Do they disprove the idea Anytus has put forward, or is there something else at work?

The later history of Anytus

This may well be supposed in considering this narrative — though it does not take up a specific part of the Meno. It is instead background that might have been considered in it.

Results of the discussion (94e-96d)

Where does this all lead us? Are you persuaded by Anytus’ claim? Is education in virtue entirely or chiefly a matter of transmission through family lines, or is something else going on?