Abstract

Developing ideas about the nature of learning put forward in chapter 2, this chapter addresses the view that Plato’s views on education underwent a significant change during his career. Examining passages from ‘early’, ‘middle’ and ‘late’ works in turn, the chapter suggests that the learning experience of interlocutors in these dialogues retains certain core features, and that differences are best explained by the growing dialectical virtue of the participants. The activity of interlocutors is characterised in ethical terms, and Socratic discussion, it is argued, acts as a context for the acquisition for the virtues of dialectic. In the same way, it is suggested, Plato’s dialogues act as a context for the reader’s progress in dialectical virtue; and ‘early’, ‘middle’ and ‘late’ works offer us the challenges we need to progress at each stage of the journey.