the paradox of inquiry
E831702
The paradox of inquiry is a philosophical problem, discussed in Plato’s Meno, that questions how one can search for knowledge of something completely unknown without already having some prior grasp of it.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| paradox of inquiry | 0 |
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Socratic problem
ⓘ
epistemological paradox ⓘ philosophical problem ⓘ |
| addressesDomain |
the conditions of successful inquiry
ⓘ
the nature of knowledge ⓘ the possibility of learning ⓘ |
| alsoKnownAs |
Meno’s paradox
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
paradox of learning ⓘ |
| centralQuestion |
How can one inquire into something completely unknown?
ⓘ
How can one recognize the correct answer if one does not already know it? ⓘ |
| connectedTo |
Socratic elenchus
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
dialectical reasoning ⓘ |
| debatedBy |
ancient philosophers
ⓘ
modern epistemologists ⓘ |
| describedIn | Plato’s dialogue Meno NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| discussedByCharacter |
Meno
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Socrates NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| formulatedAs |
Either you know what you are inquiring about or you do not know it at all
ⓘ
If you know it, inquiry is unnecessary; if you do not know it, inquiry is impossible ⓘ |
| hasExample | search for the definition of virtue in Meno ⓘ |
| hasStatus |
classic problem in epistemology
ⓘ
standard topic in introductions to Plato ⓘ |
| historicalPeriod | Classical Greek philosophy NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| influencedField |
epistemology
ⓘ
philosophical methodology ⓘ philosophy of education ⓘ philosophy of science ⓘ |
| involvesAssumption |
A person must have some grasp of what they seek in order to search for it
ⓘ
Complete ignorance makes directed inquiry impossible ⓘ |
| logicalStructure | apparent dilemma about knowing and not knowing ⓘ |
| motivates |
accounts of concept possession prior to inquiry
ⓘ
accounts of inquiry as refinement of prior beliefs ⓘ accounts of partial knowledge ⓘ theories of innate ideas ⓘ |
| originatedInAuthor | Plato GENERATED ⓘ |
| originatedInWork | Meno NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| problemType | problem about the possibility of acquiring new knowledge ⓘ |
| raisesIssue |
how criteria for correct answers are obtained
ⓘ
how questions are possible ⓘ |
| relatedConcept |
Meno’s slave demonstration
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Socratic method NERFINISHED ⓘ a priori knowledge ⓘ concept formation ⓘ epistemic justification ⓘ problem of the criterion ⓘ recollection theory ⓘ |
| standardResponseInMeno | doctrine of recollection ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.