Why It Matters Today
Meno explores fundamental questions about virtue, knowledge, and how we learn—topics as relevant today as they were in ancient Greece, especially amid ongoing debates about education, ethics, and AI decision-making.
Modern Connections
Big Ideas
Virtue can be taught, or it is innate, and understanding this is key to ethics.
Are virtues things you learn in school, or are they just part of who we are? Socrates wanted to figure that out.
What You'll Learn
- The Socratic method of questioning critical thinking.
- How ancient Greeks thought about virtue and knowledge.
- The importance of self-awareness and continuous learning.
Reader Fit
✅ Good For
- Students of philosophy or ethics
- People interested in moral debates
- Anyone curious about the roots of Western thought
⚠ Not Ideal For
- Readers seeking light entertainment without philosophical depth
- People uninterested in historical or ethical discussions
Controversies & Critiques
- Modern philosophers challenge the Socratic notion that virtue can be definitively taught or understood.
- Some critique Socrates’ reliance on dialectic as potentially dismissive of emotional or cultural factors.
Reading Context
Before Reading
- Background on classical Greek philosophy.
- Basics of Plato’s life and teachings.
After Reading
- Studies on ethical philosophy.
- Contemporary discussions on moral education and AI ethics.
Similar Books
Appeals to fans of: Philosophy podcasts, Moral debates in media, Educational psychology
Classification Details
Author
Plato
Published
-385
Language
English
Subjects
Classical literature, Socrates, 470 BC-399 BC, Ethics -- Early works to 1800, Virtue -- Early works to 1800
Curated Collections
This book appears in these curated collections:
