Socrates in the Meno: the difference between knowledge and opinion
Random number: 88
The Meno is an investigation into the nature of virtue. The Dialogue opens with Meno asking Socrates whether virtue can or cannot be taught. At the time, there were a group of philosophers known as the Sophists who would teach people 'virtue' for a fee.
Socrates makes the argument that virtue is, in an unqualified manner, always good for us. In a similar way, knowledge is, in an unqualified manner, always good for us. This is opposed to things such as strength, beauty, and wealth, which can sometimes benefit us if used correctly, but also bring harm to us if used incorrectly. This would seem to imply that virtue is knowledge. This means that virtue is knowledge of how to act well.
Earlier however, Socrates made the argument that knowledge is not a natural gift, instead it is recollected from a time before our birth (when our souls were in contact with the forms). Socrates argues this point by interacting with one of Meno's slaves, and drawing a geometrical problem for the slave to try. The slave never knew anything about geometry, but after Socrates' prompting, figures out the answer to the problem, and Socrates concludes that the knowledge has been recalled from a past life. Since it has turned out that Virtue is knowledge, it is not a natural gift, but something one learns.
If virtue is knowledge, and thus something one learns, there must be teachers of it. Socrates suggests that perhaps the Sophists, or perhaps famous poets such as Theognis could teach virtue, though Socrates shows that both these groups have inconsistencies in their views, and hence argues that neither seems to be able to teach virtue. Socrates then argues that if these reputable people aren't teachers of virtue, it doesn't seem like there could be any teachers of virtue. Is virtue, then, really knowledge?
Socrates then acknowledges that he made an error in his argument. People who are virtuous are necessarily beneficient, true, beneficient people necessarily lead well, true, but earlier Socrates stated that to lead well you necessarily had to have knowledge, Socrates now realises that a person with true opinion could lead just as well. Virtue is not knowledge, but true opinion about how to act well; some people have it, some do not, and no one knows how it comes about; it seems to come about by prophetic inspiration