Anxiety of Plato to keep up and enforce the spirit of research 246 Great question discussed among the Grecian philosophers--criterion of truth--Wherein consists the process of verification? _ib._ None of the philosophers were satisfied with the answer here made by Plato--that verification consists in appeal to pre-natal experience 247 Plato's view of the immortality of the soul--difference between the Menon, Phædrus, and Phædon 249 Doctrine of Plato, that new truth may be elicited by skilful examination out of the unlettered mind--how far correct? _ib._ Plato's doctrine about _à priori_ reasonings--different from the modern doctrine 251 Plato's theory about pre-natal experience. He took no pains to ascertain and measure the extent of post-natal experience 252 Little or nothing is said in the Menon about the Platonic Ideas or Forms 253 What Plato meant by Causal Reasoning--his distinction between knowledge and right opinion _ib._ This distinction compared with modern philosophical views 254 Manifestation of Anytus--intense antipathy to the Sophists and to philosophy generally 255 The enemy of Sokrates is also the enemy of the sophists--practical statesmen 256 The Menon brings forward the point of analogy between Sokrates and the Sophists, in which both were disliked by the practical statesmen 257 CHAPTER XXIII. PROTAGORAS. Scenic arrangement and personages of the dialogue 259 Introduction. Eagerness of the youthful Hippokrates to become acquainted with Protagoras 260 Sokrates questions Hippokrates as to his purpose and expectations from Protagoras _ib._ Danger of going to imbibe the instruction of a Sophist without knowing beforehand what he is about to teach 262 Remarks on the Introduction. False persuasion of knowledge brought to light 263 Sokrates and Hippokrates go to the house of Kallias. Company therein. Respect shown to Protagoras 264 Questions of Sokrates to Protagoras. Answer of the latter, declaring the antiquity of the sophistical profession, and his own openness in avowing himself a sophist _ib._ Protagoras prefers to converse in presence of the assembled company 266 Answers of Protagoras. He intends to train young men as virtuous citizens _ib._ Sokrates doubts whether virtue is teachable. Reasons for such doubt. Protagoras is asked to explain whether it is or not. _ib._ Explanation of Protagoras. He begins with a mythe 267 Mythe. First fabrication of men by the Gods. Prometheus and Epimetheus. Bad distribution of endowments to man by the latter. It is partly amended by Prometheus 267 Prometheus gave to mankind skill for the supply of individual wants, but could not give them the social art--Mankind are on the point of perishing, when Zeus sends to them the dispositions essential for society 268