Clitophon's Challenge: Dialectic in Plato's Meno, Phaedo, and Republic

Hugh H. Benson explores Plato's answer to Clitophon's challenge, the question of how one can acquire the knowledge Socrates argues is essential to human flourishing-knowledge we all seem to lack. Plato suggests two methods by which this knowledge may be gained: the first is learning from those who already have the knowledge one seeks, and the second is discovering the knowledge one seeks on one's own. The book begins with a brief look at some of the Socratic dialogues where Plato appears to recommend the former approach while simultaneously indicating various difficulties in pursuing it. The remainder of the book focuses on Plato's recommendation in some of his most important and central dialogues-the Meno, Phaedo, and Republic-for carrying out the second approach: de novo inquiry. The book turns first to the famous paradox concerning the possibility of such an inquiry and explores Plato's apparent solution. Having defended the possibility of de novo inquiry as a response to Clitophon's challenge, Plato explains the method or procedure by which such inquiry is to be carried out. The book defends the controversial thesis that the method of hypothesis, as described and practiced in the Meno, Phaedo, and Republic, is, when practiced correctly, Plato's recommended method of acquiring on one's own the essential knowledge we lack. The method of hypothesis when practiced correctly is, then, Platonic dialectic, and this is Plato's response to Clitophon's challenge. "This is a new book on a critically important topic, methodology, as it is explored in three of the most important works by one of the most important philosophers in the very long history of philosophy, written by a scholar of international stature who is working from many years of experience and currently at the top of his game. It promises to be one of the most important books ever written on this subject. "-Nicholas Smith, James F. Miller Professor of Humanities, Lewis and Clark College "The thesis is bold and the results are important for our understanding of some of the most studied and controversial dialogues by and philosophical theses in Plato. In my view, Hugh Benson's examination of the method of hypothesis in the Meno and the Phaedo is a tour de force of subtle and careful scholarship: I think that this part of the book will be adopted as the standard interpretation of this basic notion in Plato. An excellent and important book. "-Charles Brittain, Susan Linn Sage Professor of Philosophy and Humane Letters, Cornell University

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Clitophon's Challenge Chapter 2: Learning from Others in the Elenctic Dialogues Chapter 3: Meno's Paradox & the Theory of Recollection Chapter 4: The Method of Hypothesis: Not A Mere Second Best Chapter 5: The Method of Hypothesis: A Preliminary Sketch Chapter 6: The Method of Hypothesis: Socrates at Work in the Meno Chapter 7: The Method of Hypothesis: Socrates at Work in the Phaedo Chapter 8: The Method of Hypothesis: Socrates At Work in the Republic Chapter 9: Dialectic in the Republic Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Hugh H. Benson is Professor and former Chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Oklahoma. He is a Samuel Roberts Noble Presidential Professor, the editor of Essays on the Philosophy of Socrates (OUP 1992), Blackwell Companion to Plato (Blackwell, 2006), and the author of Socratic Wisdom (OUP 2000) and various articles on the philosophy of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Review :
"This study of Plato's hypothetical method is a more than welcome addition to the literature on philosophical method in Plato's middle dialogues. Benson's study is remarkable for unusual care and thoroughness in the development of its arguments, and the fairness of its treatment of rival interpretations. One can safely predict that future work on the topic will have to come to grips with his arguments and original interpretations." -- Journal of the History of Philosophy "Benson's book grapples with an important question, is tightly knit together into a single bold argument, and is written in a remarkably lucid way. There is thoughtful critical discussion of previous interpretations at every step. The footnotes provide excellent guidance on all sorts of major questions, even when these questions are only marginally related to the issues at hand...the book is intellectually stimulating throughout." -- Bryn Mawr Classical Review "Recommended." -- Choice "This book provides a clear and careful account of Plato's method of inquiry in the Meno, Phaedo, and Republic. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Plato's methodology...the book has important insights in every chapter. Moreover, its clarity makes it rewarding to engage with." -- Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Benson has succeeded at the difficult task of developing Plato's response to Clitophon's challenge about how knowledge is to be acquired. As such, this book is sure to become a touchstone for all future studies of Plato's philosophical method."--Religious Studies Review