Meno, by Plato.
Cool quote from text:
“the good are not so by nature...For if they were, this would follow: if the good were so by nature, we would have people who knew which among the young were good by nature; we would take those whom they had pointed out and guard them in the Acropolis, sealing them up there much more carefully than gold so that no one could corrupt them, and when they reached maturity they would be useful to their cities.”
You can read Meno here: http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/meno.html.
Meno visits Socrates, starting the dialogue off by asking a question. Meno inquires about the concept of virtue and whether it is acquired in some way, through teaching or experience, or implanted at birth. To Meno's surprise, Socrates responds with a statement entailing that he, nor anyone else he knows, understands virtue. However, Socrates does offer to help define the term, and Meno accepts. Socrates goes on to explain various details surrounding the concept of virtue, while questioning Meno about some of the foundational elements of virtue. Socrates states a series of questions all resulting in the same answer that men and women are the same. These questions lead up to Meno answering whether or not virtue for men and women are the same.
" I cannot help feeling, Socrates, that this case is different from the others."
Meno responds, claiming that the definition of virtue varies for different people. This is an understandable and reasonable response for Meno, but Socrates rejects his idea. He injects the concept that a good definition of virtue should have a common essence and central idea, encompassing all virtues.
"If you want to have one definition of them all, I know not what to say, but that virtue is the power of governing mankind."
Meno revises his definition, conveying that ruling over men is the true meaning of virtue. Meno believes that virtue leads to the fulfillment of one's purpose which is happiness. Meno attributes pleasure to happiness and defines the path to happiness as having power. Again, Socrates interjects and asserts that ruling over men can only be a virtue if the ruler is just. Socrates goes on to explain that Meno's description is not only always true, but also fails to acknowledge all aspects of virtue, as justice is only one type of virtue. Socrates introduces an analogy to explain.
"Suppose now that some one asked you the question which I asked before: Meno, he would say, what is figure? And if you answered "roundness," he would reply to you, in my way of speaking, by asking whether you would say that roundness is "figure" or "a figure"; and you would answer "a figure.""
Socrates reveals the idea that merely describing one aspect of a larger concept does not define the entire concept, therefore, again, disqualifying Meno's definition.
"Virtue is the desire of things honourable and the power of attaining them."
Meno revises his definition of virtue a second time; this time stating that virtue is a person's capability to obtain objects they desire. Socrates works towards his response that people acquire things in different ways, and some ways are in fact bad. Meno concedes the fact that his new definition is only valid if conducted through good methods.
"O Socrates, I used to be told, before I knew you, that you were always doubting yourself and making others doubt; and now you are casting your spells over me, and I am simply getting bewitched and enchanted, and am at my wits' end."
Meno, after being wrong for a third time, experienced an overwhelming feeling of confusion. He then went on to describe a paradox. The paradox entailed the fact that people either know things or they do not know things. If people know things, they do not need to ask questions. However, if people do not know things, they also do not know what questions to ask in order to understand the thing. After some discussion between the two, Meno requests that Socrates returns back to the initial question of if virtue can be taught.
Socrates runs through his thought process regarding virtue. He states that virtue is a good thing, and beneficial to have. He then goes on to explain that all good things have to be accompanied by wisdom or knowledge, or else it will not be good. Therefore, based on these statements, Socrates believed that virtue is a kind of knowledge and can be taught. Meno is satisfied with this response, but then Socrates goes on to refute his own claim, asserting that if virtue could be taught, why are there not any teachers. Anytus then joins the conversation and presents his ideas with a sense of irony, leaving Socrates in the same paradox that Meno previously described.
In the end, Socrates concludes that the gods gift virtue to people and they are able to understand virtue, but not explain it.