Thank you for posting these types of videos. I enjoy listening and reading Ancient Greek philosophy, so these videos are extremely helpful in contextualising their main points and themes. I think classical philosophy is probably the most underrated and it is the most applicable for the average person. Thank you for helping bridge the gap in understanding and ensuring that this knowledge can be as accessible as possible to anyone who can understand English and has an internet connection.
In order to become virtuous socrates believed we must arrive at knowledge of what virtue really is. The nature of virtue is the necessary and sufficient conditions for one to become virtuous. I have realised through this Nietzsche's philosophy, that one of the conditions could very well be adversity. Because we learn from misfortunes and difficulties.
Well, that's an interesting combination, framing matters in terms of "necessary and sufficient conditions" and then bringing in a thinker like Nietzsche
They finally reached a conclusion at the end of the dialogue and agreed that virtue is a gift from God bestowed upon some people. It is not learned or acquired, but rather given.
Great lecture! This reminds me a lot of Euthyphro and Socrates' attempt to get him to nail down the idea of piety. I guess all of these go back to the same theory of forms?
Gregory B. Sadler Does he use it in other dialogues? I'm not really that familiar with any of them outside of Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and now Meno to an extent. Hoping to get acquainted with more of them by watching your lectures.
Sure, since if he didn't it would be pretty unlikely that anyone would talk about "Plato's theory of the forms"! You'll find it used more in dialogues like the Republic, Parmenides, Phaedrus, etc.
Do you focus on the teachability of virtue in any of your videos? I know that this is a big deal in Meno (and also Protagoras) and you mentioned that Aristotle digs even deeper into how we acquire virtue. I'd definitely like to hear more on this subject!
Thanks for this video. I am dyslexic, so some of the more formal language in philosophical texts can make it difficult for me to read without a preemptive idea of what is being discussed.
so is it my lack of understanding or is there no actual definition of virtue? I've spent a long time already trying to find the answer but fail to do so
In Aristotle's ethics, doesn't Aristotle resolve the paradox in the heart of Meno by suggesting that Virtue is wisdom (understanding) of the good and acting in accordance with that wisdom?
Hi, Gregory. I really appreciate the effort on these videos, but it would be really helpful to people like me, who doesn't have the english as the main language, to learn more about your philosophical series with subtitles in your own language, or even better, in spanish (I know, it would be really hard, I'll stick to the english subtitles). Congratulations from Colombia and thank you very much.
Glad you enjoy the videos. Since I do the work that goes into these essentially for free (there's a little -- very little -- ad revenue, and occasional donations) -- and each of these 10-20 minute videos represents a good hour to two hours of work -- I'm not likely to start putting in additional unpaid time to produce subtitles.
Hey, thanks for a very educational video. I understand the concept behind Meno; however, is it not irrational to take the plurality of many into the summation of one? For example, Meno poses many different virtues; however, Socrates wants a one word definition. I’m not sure Socrates was completely satisfied with the Definition of Virtue.
I can understand Socrates … wisdom is a balance of emotion & reason. Plato’s reason… Bing, true objectivity. Every moment is an opportunity to practice this balance, which, when balanced, comprises humans’ Virtue ??
@@GregoryBSadler great point you made.. I would say wisdom is the balance of emotions and reason which are the only 2 features of life we can truly control. Wisdom is your missing link. But thanks for the feedback. Helpful
yes sir, it seems that the conclusion they didn't reach helped to at least rid the idea of what virtue isn't and simultaneously shine some light on what sort of qualities virtue has by negation. of course, this is probably a very common view, but it's nice to appreciate what was done by not coming to any definite conclusion. Socrates method is a very humbling one! probably a good requisite for acquiring virtue.
I always don'y understand... Why Socrates always wanted to find the forms of everything... I mean here, diversification of ideas can be a good thing, why he insisted on finding the unitary "virtue" or other things...
Well, I guess since you're offering a definition, you can now go through what a Socratic dialogical examination of that definition would involve. . . . See if it's really any good
Your fluency on the subjects you teach is seen so clearly. Great videos!! Love having you has a resource.
+Nameet Harish Thanks!
I take philosophy and this video just saved my paper
Glad it was helpful
Thank you for posting these types of videos. I enjoy listening and reading Ancient Greek philosophy, so these videos are extremely helpful in contextualising their main points and themes.
I think classical philosophy is probably the most underrated and it is the most applicable for the average person. Thank you for helping bridge the gap in understanding and ensuring that this knowledge can be as accessible as possible to anyone who can understand English and has an internet connection.
Glad you find the videos useful
you make this philosophy shit obscenely enjoyable. its fuckin crazy man
+Sphi Noyd Thanks for that enthusiastily phrased note -- glad the videos are enjoyable for you
New Core Concept video, on one of the central issues in this dialogue. The answer? Unfortunately. . . no.
Just found your channel and it’s a god sent!!! Really helped me understand the main points discussed in Plato’s Meno story!! Thank you so much!!
You're very welcome!
In order to become virtuous socrates believed we must arrive at knowledge of what virtue really is. The nature of virtue is the necessary and sufficient conditions for one to become virtuous. I have realised through this Nietzsche's philosophy, that one of the conditions could very well be adversity. Because we learn from misfortunes and difficulties.
Well, that's an interesting combination, framing matters in terms of "necessary and sufficient conditions" and then bringing in a thinker like Nietzsche
“The Socrates Shuffle” haha love that! Thanks for the lecture, great companion to my reading.
You're welcome!
Am grateful: this video has made me feel like I have read the whole dialogue
Well, you still should read it
They finally reached a conclusion at the end of the dialogue and agreed that virtue is a gift from God bestowed upon some people. It is not learned or acquired, but rather given.
But the definition of virtue gets seen even deeper in the Republic
I agree
Great lecture! This reminds me a lot of Euthyphro and Socrates' attempt to get him to nail down the idea of piety. I guess all of these go back to the same theory of forms?
They do -- but you'll notice that in the Meno and Euthyphro, Plato doesn't use the term "form"
Gregory B. Sadler Does he use it in other dialogues? I'm not really that familiar with any of them outside of Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and now Meno to an extent. Hoping to get acquainted with more of them by watching your lectures.
Sure, since if he didn't it would be pretty unlikely that anyone would talk about "Plato's theory of the forms"!
You'll find it used more in dialogues like the Republic, Parmenides, Phaedrus, etc.
Do you focus on the teachability of virtue in any of your videos? I know that this is a big deal in Meno (and also Protagoras) and you mentioned that Aristotle digs even deeper into how we acquire virtue. I'd definitely like to hear more on this subject!
I'd look through the Plato and Aristotle playlists on my channel. You'll find some relevant stuff in there
Thanks for this video. I am dyslexic, so some of the more formal language in philosophical texts can make it difficult for me to read without a preemptive idea of what is being discussed.
You're very welcome!
It's a clear and nice explanation, great video. Greetings from Spain.
Glad you enjoyed it
Amazing work. Keep it up!
I have been since that video was shot
I didn't know that Penn and Teller taught philosophy now, nice surprise
You're about 6-7 years late with your joke. Always fun y when people think they've come up with an original quip
Gregory B. Sadler Penn or not, no complaints here. You helped me out big time with Meno!
so is it my lack of understanding or is there no actual definition of virtue? I've spent a long time already trying to find the answer but fail to do so
Mr Smirx you probably want to read more classic virtue ethics texts then
In Aristotle's ethics, doesn't Aristotle resolve the paradox in the heart of Meno by suggesting that Virtue is wisdom (understanding) of the good and acting in accordance with that wisdom?
No, he does not
This is extremely helpful, Dr. Sadler. I am a Latinist but I got it. :)
+primus pares Well, I'm not one of those Greek-readers who looks down on Latin! Glad the video was useful
Ah, you are everywhere! I am in your Hegel class :-)
Well, a bit of me is everywhere my videos are, I suppose
Hi, Gregory. I really appreciate the effort on these videos, but it would be really helpful to people like me, who doesn't have the english as the main language, to learn more about your philosophical series with subtitles in your own language, or even better, in spanish (I know, it would be really hard, I'll stick to the english subtitles). Congratulations from Colombia and thank you very much.
Glad you enjoy the videos.
Since I do the work that goes into these essentially for free (there's a little -- very little -- ad revenue, and occasional donations) -- and each of these 10-20 minute videos represents a good hour to two hours of work -- I'm not likely to start putting in additional unpaid time to produce subtitles.
From Meno's question from Socrates, what is the formula for a philosophical question?
Here you go - th-cam.com/video/OV_T8Emyf6I/w-d-xo.html
Hey, thanks for a very educational video. I understand the concept behind Meno; however, is it not irrational to take the plurality of many into the summation of one? For example, Meno poses many different virtues; however, Socrates wants a one word definition.
I’m not sure Socrates was completely satisfied with the Definition of Virtue.
"is it not irrational to take the plurality of many into the summation of one?"
No, it is not
I can understand Socrates … wisdom is a balance of emotion & reason. Plato’s reason… Bing, true objectivity. Every moment is an opportunity to practice this balance, which, when balanced, comprises humans’ Virtue ??
I would say Nope
@@GregoryBSadler great point you made.. I would say wisdom is the balance of emotions and reason which are the only 2 features of life we can truly control. Wisdom is your missing link. But thanks for the feedback. Helpful
@@bg-se7rq I'd still say Nope. Better to reread the texts instead of giving an off-base take on what's in them, like you're doing here
what kind of question was meno asking? what was the nature of his question?
Here you go - th-cam.com/video/OV_T8Emyf6I/w-d-xo.html
Virtue has to be qualities, which are both learned and acquired naturally.
You realize that the video isn't asking you for your definition of virtue, but discussing the Platonic text
Gregory B. Sadler I am fully aware of that. I merely like to write my options out in order to make them concrete in my minds eye. but thank you.
opinion *
What kind of question is Meno asking to Socrates?
That sounds like a homework or test question
Thank you!! and you look like Christian Bale somehow
We both have long faces
what a cliff hanger!
Because they don't end defining it?
yes sir, it seems that the conclusion they didn't reach helped to at least rid the idea of what virtue isn't and simultaneously shine some light on what sort of qualities virtue has by negation. of course, this is probably a very common view, but it's nice to appreciate what was done by not coming to any definite conclusion. Socrates method is a very humbling one! probably a good requisite for acquiring virtue.
@@mrmelanson34they sort of did define it, only thing is that not everybody believes in God !
So what is Virtue?
th-cam.com/video/xgf2jztjaF4/w-d-xo.html
I always don'y understand... Why Socrates always wanted to find the forms of everything... I mean here, diversification of ideas can be a good thing, why he insisted on finding the unitary "virtue" or other things...
In order to understand the many in terms of the one. He's far from the only person who made that a goal
6:50 zD
Virtue is the quality of the optimal mode of being
Well, I guess since you're offering a definition, you can now go through what a Socratic dialogical examination of that definition would involve. . . . See if it's really any good
my head hurts
Well, nothing I can do about that
Hehe