Key Arguments

• He claims that neither he nor any Athenian knows what virtue is, let alone whether it is teachable: without knowing the 'what' (quid) one cannot know the 'what‑like' (quale).
• He uses an analogy: if he knew nothing about who Meno is, he could not say whether Meno is fair, rich, or noble; likewise, without knowing what virtue is, he cannot say whether it is taught, practiced, or natural.
• He presents his stance as part of a broader intellectual poverty in Athens, contrasting it with Thessaly, where Gorgias has given people the habit of giving bold answers to such questions.

Source Quotes

I am certain that if you were to ask any Athenian whether virtue was natural or acquired, he would laugh in your face, and say: 'Stranger, you have far too good an opinion of me, if you think that I can answer your question. For I literally do not know what virtue is, and much less whether it is acquired by teaching or not.' And I myself, Meno, living as I do in this region of poverty, am as poor as the rest of the world; and I confess with shame that I know literally nothing about virtue; and when I do not know the 'quid' of anything how can I know the 'quale'?

For I literally do not know what virtue is, and much less whether it is acquired by teaching or not.' And I myself, Meno, living as I do in this region of poverty, am as poor as the rest of the world; and I confess with shame that I know literally nothing about virtue; and when I do not know the 'quid' of anything how can I know the 'quale'? How, if I knew nothing at all of Meno, could I tell if he was fair, or the opposite of fair; rich and noble, or the reverse of rich and noble?

And I myself, Meno, living as I do in this region of poverty, am as poor as the rest of the world; and I confess with shame that I know literally nothing about virtue; and when I do not know the 'quid' of anything how can I know the 'quale'? How, if I knew nothing at all of Meno, could I tell if he was fair, or the opposite of fair; rich and noble, or the reverse of rich and noble? Do you think that I could?

Key Concepts

• For I literally do not know what virtue is, and much less whether it is acquired by teaching or not.
• and when I do not know the 'quid' of anything how can I know the 'quale'?
• How, if I knew nothing at all of Meno, could I tell if he was fair, or the opposite of fair; rich and noble, or the reverse of rich and noble?

Context

Opening of the dialogue proper, immediately after Meno asks whether virtue is acquired by teaching, practice, or nature; Socrates uses his characteristic profession of ignorance to redirect the discussion toward definition.