PLATO WAS FASCINATED
BY MATHEMATICS.
AND HIS THEORY OF INNATE IDEAS
IS SPECIFICALLY MOTIVATED BY
GIVING A SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL
PROOF IN THE
DIALOGUE CALLED THE MENO.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF WORK
IN WHICH A BOY IS ASKED TO
PRODUCE A SQUARE, DOUBLE THE
AREA OF A GIVEN SQUARE.
AND HE FIRST OF ALL
MAKES MISTAKES.
AND THEN HE HITS ON A PROOF
THAT THE SQUARE ON THE
DIAGONAL IS TWICE THE AREA.
IT'S A VERY BEAUTIFUL PROOF.
AND WHEN YOU SEE THAT PROOF,
HEY, MAN, THAT'S AMAZING.
THAT'S TRUE.
THAT HAS TO BE TRUE.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE
BECOME VERY
INTERESTED IN INNATE IDEAS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO, BUT OVER,
FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS, AND I
BELIEVE FOR THE NEXT TWO
THOUSAND YEARS, THEY WILL.
