THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

 

SOCRATES ON UNITY OF VIRTUE IN DEFINITION:

THE MENO PARAGRAPHS 71E-73E

 

By

 

Nathan D. March

 

Dr. Timothy B. Noone

PHIL 301 Reasoning and Argumentation

31 March 2003

 

Plato’s Socratic dialog the Meno is concerned with virtue, or arête.  Meno asks Socrates whether it can be taught. Socrates challenges him to first define virtue. Socrates is not satisfied with Meno’s initial attempt.  Paragraphs 71e-73e have Socrates leading Meno from an enumeration of virtues as a definition to a more suitable definition focusing on the commonness of virtues, the form of virtue itself.

                                                                                                                                                               

 

“a man’s virtue consists of being able to manage public affairs…the virtue of a woman…she must manage the home well…the virtue of a child, whether male or female, is different again, and so is that of an elderly man…there are very many other virtues…There is virtue for every action and every age, for every task…and every one of us.”                                                                                                                                                         (71e)(D1)

                                                                                                                                                               

 

Meno does not provide a formal definition of the nature of virtue itself.  Rather, he offers a list of particular virtues: a virtue of man, a virtue of woman, etc. He does not state the criteria for membership in the class of virtue, nor does he indicate the relationship between the virtues of men, women, etc.  There are two major problems with this response.  First, he fails to form a proper definition because he is focused on the difference rather than the commonness of the particular virtues. Second, he confuses the enumeration of virtues as species of virtue with the genus of virtue itself.

Socrates, using the example of bees, illustrates how Meno’s misplaced attention on the differences in virtues fails to establish a definition of virtue itself. 

 

if ( nature of bees, many and all kinds) à (variation in so far as bees)                                      (HS1)

 

Variation can be the result of:

 

(in so far as bees) ^ (some other quality)                                                                         (DS1)     

 

Meno responds:                                                                                                                                   (71c)

 

~(in so far as bees)

 

therefore:

 

(some other quality)                                                            valid DS, DS1                        (C1)

&

~(nature of bees, many and all kinds)                               M.T.,HS1                               (C2)

               

 

Since the nature of bees is not that they are many and of all kinds (C2), and the variation of kinds of bees is the result of some quality other than the nature of bees (C1), Socrates suggests the following definition:

 

The nature of bees is the thing in which bees are all the same and do not                (72c) differ from one another.                                                                                                             (D1)

 

 

Socrates states that, “the same is true in the case of the virtues.”[1] It is not immediately obvious why the definition of the nature of bees and the definition of the nature of virtues would be the same. He hints at the reason when he claims the virtues, although many, “have one and the same form which makes them virtues.”[2] For Socrates, the forms are the unifying principles responsible for giving different things common characteristics.  Therefore, a proper description should describe the form.  In this respect, the definition of beehood and the definition of virtue should be no different.  Socrates, the clever apiologist, explains the first criteria of formal definition: “it is right to look to this [the unifying principle] when one is asked to make clear what virtue is.”[3] 

If (properly define) à (consider unifying principle)                                                                      (HS2)

                                                                                                                                                                (72d)

                ~(Meno consider unifying principle)                                                                               

                --------------------------------------------    

                ~(Meno properly define)                                    M.T., HS2                                              (C3)

 

 

Meno states that he does not understand fully what Socrates is saying. Socrates provides two examples, strength and health, to show how universals do not differ in men and women but rather share in the same form. 

 

strength :                                                                                                                                              

 

(one strength for a man, another for a woman) ^ (same form of strength)  (DS2)

                ~(one strength for a man, another for a woman)                                                             (72e)

                ---------------------------------------------------------

                (same form of strength)                                                       valid DS, DS2                        (C5)

 

health:   

 

(one health for a man, another for a woman) ^ (same form everywhere)                     (DS3)

                ~(one health for a man, another for a woman)                                                 (72e)

                ---------------------------------------------------------

                (same form of health)                                                           valid DS, DS3                        (C6)

 

 

Meno is not persuaded, he holds there is a difference between virtue, as far as being virtue, and the cases of health, size and strength.  

 

(Meno is right) ^ (Meno is wrong)                                                                                                    (DS2)

 

if ( Meno is right ) à virtue is one for a man, another for a woman, etc                                     (HS4)

if ( Meno is wrong )à virtue is the same form everywhere                                                          (HS5)

 

If (virtue of man is to manage a city well) à (manage moderately & justly)                              (73b)

                If (manage moderately & justly) à (manage w/ justice and moderation)

If (virtue of man is to manage a city well) à (must have justice & moderation)                       (HS6)

 

(virtue of man is to manage a city well)                                                                            (D1)

-----------------------------------------------

(must have justice & moderation)                                                     M.P., HS6              (C7)

 

 

If (virtue of woman is to manage a household well) à (manage moderately & justly)            (73b)

                If (manage moderately & justly) à (manage w/ justice & moderation)

If (virtue of woman is to manage a household well) à (must have justice & moderation)     (HS7)

 

(virtue of a woman is to manage a household well)                                                       (D1)

-------------------------------------------------------------

(must have justice & moderation)                                                     M.P., HS7              (C8)

 

 

~(virtue one for a man another for a woman)                                                  C7,C8

-----------------------------------------------------

~(Meno is right)                                                                                                   M.T.,HS4

 

--------------------------

(Meno is wrong)                                                                                                  valid DS, DS2        (C9)

 

--------------------------

(virtue is the same form everywhere)                                                                M.P., HS5              (C10)

 

 

 

Since the virtue of all men is indeed the same, and Meno’s original definition was not adequate, Socrates asks him again to define virtue.  Meno, offers a new definition, “seeking one description to fit them all.”  He suggests that virtue is the ability to rule over people.  Socrates quickly points out yet another inconsistency.

 

If ( definition is the same for all) à (same for a child, slave, and man)                                       (HS8)

                If (same for a child or slave) à (child and slave rule over someone)                          (73d)

 

                ~(child and slave rule over)                                                                                               

                ---------------------------------

                ~(definition the same for all)                                                              M.T., HS8              (C11)

 

 

            Throughout the discussion in paragraphs 71e-73e, Meno fails to provide Socrates with a suitable definition of virtue.  Does Meno realize his reputation is at stake?

 

If (a man of virtue ) à (knows what virtue is)                                                                 (HS3)

 

                If (knows what virtue is) à (can give definition)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                If (can give definition) à (can give unifying principle)

 

                                ~(Meno can give unifying principle)

                                -------------------------------------------      

                                ~(Meno a man of virtue)                                     M.T., HS3                              (C4)