The classification and analysis of textual data for elucidation of the noetic categories and the linguistic ones in the Western ancient and medieval thought

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Our project of research was to make the most use of the CD-ROM databases recently developed overseas in the field of the classical texts of the Western philosophy in order to deposit the ground structure of the Western patterns of thought, which has presumably dominated universally the various philosophers. With the help of highly improved electronic books nowadays, it is much easier to make a macroscopic approach at the structure of thought lying behind the particular problems, while we make a subtle study of the details of the texts. Without such compound eyes we might expose ourselves to the danger of falling into sterile labyrinths disguised with the attractive name of 'specialization'. We believe, however, the classical legacy of thought has essentially little to do with the particularity of any philosopher, however great he may be.Here we present a result of the project characterized above, trying to approach the deep structure of the thought, analyzing the text of Plato's Menon and examining carefully what Socrates had truly in mind. So long as we regard the activity of investigation as pursuits for a definition or knowledge, we can hardly find any significance of the theory of anamnesis which would have been polished enough to explain the very possibility of every investigation not only of philosophy but of sciences in general. Previous studies have been mostly blinded by this prejudice only to miss the true value of the theory. When man speakes of investigation, man is in fact faced with the problem of understanding rather than that of knowledge. On the ground of his insight that every intellectual activity must have a character of commitment, Plato dared to introduce the theory of anamnesis.