Meno Paradox Of Inquiry

First Critical Paper P201 Katy Meadows
4/14/23 Spencer Aldridge

Recollection Resurrects Inquiry
In Meno, Meno introduces the paradox of inquiry while talking with Socrates, prompting Socrates to introduce a doctrine of recollection. This paper will begin with an explanation of the paradox of inquiry and an analysis into how it poses problems for the nature of inquiry. It will then describe the doctrine of recollection, granting it as true, and examining how Socrates might believe this doctrine can satisfactorily defend inquiry against the paradox. Then, I will pose an objection that the paradox still poses problem despite the doctrine, offer a response to this objection, and finally offer a reason the doctrine of recollection prevails in this

One cannot engage in inquiry at all, they will gain nothing.
This paradox is a problem for inquiry as it undermines the process of learning. According to it, proper inquiry cannot happen, all it would be is wandering around in the dark asking questions with no direction, and it cannot take place about something you happen to know. The paradox creates these problems for inquiry, how does one set a plan for finding an unknown? How will they know when they’ve found it? The doctrine of recollection addresses these issues.
Humans are capable of reasoning and inquiring, and of learning to do things we could not before. How can this be? Well, according to the doctrine of recollection, it is because we never really “learn” anything at all, we simply recollect it. Our soul is immortal, it has lived countless lives and been to every place in the underworld and on earth and witnessed everything. Because of this fact, there is nothing it has not learned, and this information in the soul can be recollected. The doctrine of recollection claims it is really this process of the soul being coaxed into our minds that we call “learning”. So if one’s soul knows everything already, it is possible to inquire into what we “know” as people, because we can recollect from the soul and be cognizant of more on the topic. Furthermore, one can inquire into the unknown successfully because their soul is already familiar. We can be shown how to set a ship to sail, and what we call “learning” is that within our soul is the capacity to set a ship to sail, which the knowledge watching a master perform the task and offer tips has aided us in recollecting, and now we are aware and possess the knowledge of how to do it