Albers !

William Albers
Philosophy 101
Prof. Washut
1 December 2018
Whether All Knowledge is From Recollection

Objection 1: It would seem that all knowledge is from recollection. For one must be capable of
recognizing when one possesses knowledge. But one can only recognize something if one has
prior knowledge of that thing. Therefore, all knowledge must be recollection of something
already known.

Objection 2: Further, it is seen that it is possible for someone to gain knowledge through
answering questions. This is demonstrated in Meno 82c when Socrates questions a slave boy
about a geometrical proof. However, one cannot answer a question unless one already knows the
correct answer. Therefore, all knowledge gained in this way is from recollection.

On the contrary, Aristotle states that knowledge comes from first principles.

I answer that, Since all things must ultimately have some origin, the means of gaining
knowledge must be traced back to a first source. Anything that comes from something else
cannot properly be a first source. Therefore, since a proof of this first source would depend on
other statements, the first source of knowledge must be unprovable principles.

Now, if these unprovable first principles are assumed to be true, it is possible to use them to
discover all the rest of knowledge. For when the mind holds a given judgement, there are several
other judgements that it is forced to make. Inasmuch as one holds a certain statement to be true,
there is another statement that he must consider false. This is demonstrated in Aristotle’s Square
of Opposition. Furthermore, there are definite ways of combining multiple judgements such that
another necessarily follows. These are the various forms and moods of syllogisms. Since the
first principles that knowledge is based on are judgements of truth or falsity, they can be
combined to form new judgements. Thus, knowledge of new things can be arrived at by means
of first principles.

Reply to Objection 1: Since one begins learning things even from birth, it is evident that, if
knowledge is to already be possessed, it must come from a previous life. However, this does not
solve the initial problem of the origin of knowledge. For this previous life, if it is to possess
knowledge, must have gained it from some source. However, if this previous life gained its
knowledge from recollection, then this implies an infinite regression of lives gaining knowledge
through recollection. However, an infinite regression cannot have any beginning and is therefore
impossible. If all knowledge is from recollection, it must come from an infinite regression of
previous lives, and therefore can have no source.
 Albers !2

Reply to Objection 2: It is true that one can gain knowledge through answering questions.
However, the kind of questions needed for this process guide the questioned to join judgements
to each other in certain ways. Since judgements can be combined to force necessary
conclusions, this process of questioning simply guides the questioned to formulate these
necessary conclusions.