Overview

Meno is one of the earliest Socratic dialogues of Plato and is believed to have been written around 385 BCE. It begins with Meno, a visitor to Athens, asking Socrates whether virtue can be taught, and this question—along with the more fundamental question of what virtue is—occupies the two men for the entirety of the text. Important and recurring Platonic themes are introduced in Meno, including the form of the Socratic dialogue itself.

Other important themes of Meno include an early form of anamnesis (the idea that the soul is eternal, knows everything, and has only to “recollect” to learn) and the contention that virtue as a kind of wisdom. Socrates also makes essential points about the nature of a definition.

Read the free full text of the work, the overall summary, the overall analysis, and three Question & Answers about key ideas in Meno. Or, learn more by studying SparkNotes guides to other works by Plato.

Upgrade to PLUS and get instant access to all the study tools

Upgrade to PLUS and get instant access to all the study tools