meno   

who has knowledge?

Men. True.

Soc. And surely the good man has been acknowledged by us to be

useful?

Men. Yes.

Soc. Seeing then that men become good and useful to states, not only

because they have knowledge, but because they have right opinion,

and that neither knowledge nor right opinion is given to man by nature

or acquired by him-(do you imagine either of them to be given by

nature?

Men. Not I.)

Soc. Then if they are not given by nature, neither are the good by

nature good?

Men. Certainly not.

Soc. And nature being excluded, then came the question whether

virtue is acquired by teaching?

Men. Yes.

Soc. If virtue was wisdom [or knowledge], then, as we thought, it

was taught?

Men. Yes.

Soc. And if it was taught it was wisdom?

Men. Certainly.

Soc. And if there were teachers, it might be taught; and if there

were no teachers, not?

Men. True.

Soc. But surely we acknowledged that there were no teachers of

virtue?

Men. Yes.

Soc. Then we acknowledged that it was not taught, and was not

wisdom?

Men. Certainly.

Soc. And yet we admitted that it was a good?