Aristotle’s Solution to Meno’s Paradox
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22240/sent26.01.005Keywords:
Aristotle, Meno’s paradox, pre-existing cognition, pre-existing knowledge.Abstract
The paper is devoted to Aristotle’s solution to Meno’s paradox: a person cannot search for what he knows – he knows it, and there is no need to search for such a thing – nor for what he doesn't know – since he doesn't know what he's searching for. The author argues that Aristotle proposes solutions of this paradox for every stage of cognition, not only for exercising available scientific knowledge as regarded by most Aristotelian scholars. He puts more focus on the importance of the distinction between progignōskein (pre-existing cognition) and proepistasthai (pre-existing knowledge) for Aristotle’s solution of this paradox.References
Berti, E. (Ed.). (1981). Aristotle on Science: The Posterior Analytics (Proceeding of the Eighth Symposium Aristotelicum). Padua: Antenore.
Bronstein, D. (2010). Meno's Paradox in Posterior Analytics I.I. In B. Inwood (Ed.), Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy (Vol. 38, pp. 115-142). Oxford: Oxford UP.
Engberg-Pedersen, T. (1979). More on Aristotelian Epagoge. Phronesis, 24, 301-319. https://doi.org/10.1163/156852879X00199
Ferejohn, M. (1982). Definition and Aristotelian Demonstration. Review of Metaphysics, 36, 375-395.
Ferejohn, M. (1988). Meno's Paradox and De Re Knowledge in Aristotle's Theory of Demonstration. History of Philosophy Quarterly, 5(2), 99-117.
Hamlyn, D. W. (1976). Aristotelian Epagoge. Phronesis, 21, 167-184. https://doi.org/10.1163/156852876X00129
Hintikka, J. (1972). On the Ingredients of an Aristotelian Science. Nous, 6, 55-69. https://doi.org/10.2307/2214513
McKirahan, R. D. (1983). Aristotelian Epagoge in Prior Analytics 2.21 and Posterior Analytics 1.1. Journal of the History of Philosophy, 21, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1353/hph.1983.0021
Orlov, E. V. (2003a). Aristotle on experience and intelligence in the "Posterior Analytics" II 19. In N. V. Motroshilova (Ed.), Historico-Philosophical Yearbook 2002 (pp. 34-68). Moscow: Nauka.
Orlov, E. V. (2003b). Aristotle on private and universal evidence in the "Posterior Analytics". Bulletin of NSU. Series: Philosophy, 1(1), 144-152.
Orlov, E. V. (2004). Aristotelian essentialism and the problem of "formulating problems". Bulletin of NSU. Series: Philosophy, 2(1), 161-169.
Orlov, E. V. (2006). Elements of systematization in Aristotle's "History of animals". Philosophy of Science, (3), 3-38.
Orlov, E. V. (2011). Philosophical language of Aristotle. Novosibirsk: SD RAS.
Orlov, E. V. (2012). Aristotle on the universal, ordinary and active knowledge in the "Prior Analytics" II 21. Bulletin of Tomsk State University. Philosophy. Sociology. Political science, 2(18). 154-165.
Ross, W. D. (Ed.). (1949). Aristotle's Prior and Posterior Analytics. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Bronstein, D. (2010). Meno's Paradox in Posterior Analytics I.I. In B. Inwood (Ed.), Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy (Vol. 38, pp. 115-142). Oxford: Oxford UP.
Engberg-Pedersen, T. (1979). More on Aristotelian Epagoge. Phronesis, 24, 301-319. https://doi.org/10.1163/156852879X00199
Ferejohn, M. (1982). Definition and Aristotelian Demonstration. Review of Metaphysics, 36, 375-395.
Ferejohn, M. (1988). Meno's Paradox and De Re Knowledge in Aristotle's Theory of Demonstration. History of Philosophy Quarterly, 5(2), 99-117.
Hamlyn, D. W. (1976). Aristotelian Epagoge. Phronesis, 21, 167-184. https://doi.org/10.1163/156852876X00129
Hintikka, J. (1972). On the Ingredients of an Aristotelian Science. Nous, 6, 55-69. https://doi.org/10.2307/2214513
McKirahan, R. D. (1983). Aristotelian Epagoge in Prior Analytics 2.21 and Posterior Analytics 1.1. Journal of the History of Philosophy, 21, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1353/hph.1983.0021
Orlov, E. V. (2003a). Aristotle on experience and intelligence in the "Posterior Analytics" II 19. In N. V. Motroshilova (Ed.), Historico-Philosophical Yearbook 2002 (pp. 34-68). Moscow: Nauka.
Orlov, E. V. (2003b). Aristotle on private and universal evidence in the "Posterior Analytics". Bulletin of NSU. Series: Philosophy, 1(1), 144-152.
Orlov, E. V. (2004). Aristotelian essentialism and the problem of "formulating problems". Bulletin of NSU. Series: Philosophy, 2(1), 161-169.
Orlov, E. V. (2006). Elements of systematization in Aristotle's "History of animals". Philosophy of Science, (3), 3-38.
Orlov, E. V. (2011). Philosophical language of Aristotle. Novosibirsk: SD RAS.
Orlov, E. V. (2012). Aristotle on the universal, ordinary and active knowledge in the "Prior Analytics" II 21. Bulletin of Tomsk State University. Philosophy. Sociology. Political science, 2(18). 154-165.
Ross, W. D. (Ed.). (1949). Aristotle's Prior and Posterior Analytics. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
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Published
2012-06-16
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Orlov, E. (2012). Aristotle’s Solution to Meno’s Paradox. Sententiae, 26(1), 5–27. https://doi.org/10.22240/sent26.01.005
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