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Socratic Method

The document discusses the Socratic method, a philosophical approach developed by Socrates that emphasizes critical questioning and self-examination to uncover truth and challenge assumptions. Socrates believed that understanding virtue and the pursuit of truth were essential for a good life, advocating for individuals to question themselves and their beliefs. Despite no writings attributed to him, Socrates remains a significant figure in philosophy, exemplifying the importance of intellectual confidence and dialogue.

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39 views

Socratic Method

The document discusses the Socratic method, a philosophical approach developed by Socrates that emphasizes critical questioning and self-examination to uncover truth and challenge assumptions. Socrates believed that understanding virtue and the pursuit of truth were essential for a good life, advocating for individuals to question themselves and their beliefs. Despite no writings attributed to him, Socrates remains a significant figure in philosophy, exemplifying the importance of intellectual confidence and dialogue.

Uploaded by

jeffmuriuki478
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Socratic Method

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Socrates (470–399 B.C.) is a Greek philosopher who is respected and highly regarded in

ancient and modern philosophy. Socrates annoyed people with questions and was executed.

There is no writing left of Socrates; information about his personal life is known from the student

of Plato, and, because of that, one can take a look at Socrates’ method of knowledge, ‘the

Socratic method,’ through his dialogues.

The Socratic method

The method depends much of power questioning exhibited in Plato’s Socratic dialogues.

Socrates would examine propositions people made towards definitions and analyses of some

concepts by challenging them or providing counter-examples. The respondent would then adjust

their thinking so as to respond to Socrates’s objections. He would raise increasingly more refined

objections, thereby defeating his opponents’ asserted knowledge. This frustrated them and even

sparked his opponents’ motivation to think critically and seek the real truth on their own. Thus,

the Socratic Method continues to be an integral part of philosophy studies. It fosters critical

thinking and the questioning of assumptions, challenging us to gain a better understanding of

ourselves and everything that is around us.

Key Ideas of Socrates:

Socrates created the dialectical process for acquiring knowledge. He used an inductive

method of argumentation to develop universal definitions. Here are some of the key ideas of

Socrates:

Self -examination

In that sense, Socrates was a person who strongly advocated for self-examination. These

words originated from Socrates’ mouth are famous due to the works of his disciple, Plato, in
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Crito: “For I take it that what is not worth doing is not even worth considering.” So, we always

need to question ourselves and the world around us.

Virtue

One of the things that Socrates believed would allow for true virtue needed to be happy

was the understanding of what is truly good and bad. Virtue was not simply acting as society

wanted one to act but rather understanding good and bad and always acting parallel to those.

The Pursuit of Truth

Secondly, the seeking of truth was central to Socrates. Socrates thought that truth was not

merely virtuous but necessary to a good life. For that one reason, he believed that knowledge was

the only means to true virtue and happiness, and if one does not know what is good and evil, they

cannot act alongside it consistently.

Socrates is a genuine model of performance of the philosophical method’s basic

concepts. He was able to challenge and defy the norm and authority. Also, his stubborn example

of the truth’s pursuit, despite potential persecution, vividly reveals the importance of being

confident intellectually. Finally, the Socratic Method, an interactive discussion led by asking

provocative questions and finding contradictions, helps to organize one’s own ideas for

examination.

Therefore, even if nothing has ever been written in his name, Socrates is one of the best

role models in western philosophy for performance of the philosophical method: examine

yourself, ferret out the truth, and organize your thoughts with questions.
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References

Payne and Stanley, Active Philosophy: An Introduction, Chapter 2, SPC Open Source, 2020.

Socrates | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (n.d.). https://iep.utm.edu/socrates/

Socrates_Legacy. (n.d.).

https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialSciences/ppecorino/INTRO_TEXT/Chapter

%202%20GREEKS/Socrates_Legacy.htm

The Socratic Method | University of Chicago Law School. (2018, December 3). University of

Chicago Law School. https://www.law.uchicago.edu/socratic-method

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