Category: Socrates
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How the Socratic method works in practice
I am fond of saying that Socrates did not create the Socratic method, and neither did Plato in his philosophical depictions of Socrates’ debates. Neither Socrates nor Plato claimed to have discovered a new approach to epistemology; they only claimed that, if we ask a lot of questions, chances are that we will stumble upon…
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Strengths and weaknesses of the Socratic method
Philosophy historians praise Socrates for having conceived an original method of inquiry. They claim that his approach to philosophy was far superior to anything attempted before him. They regard the Socratic method as a key epistemological innovation that still proves valuable nowadays in areas such as education, courtroom cross-examinations, cognitive therapy or coaching in general.…
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A recurring error in the Socratic method
It is extraordinarily naive to hope to find the truth by asking random questions. Even if we ask lots of questions, there is no the slightest guarantee that we will get closer to the truth. Even Socrates himself never claimed that “the Socratic method” was infallible or foolproof. What is the proof that I am…
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How to practise the Socratic method
If someone had directly asked Socrates (469-399 BC) how to practise the Socratic method, I fear that no answer would be forthcoming. Socrates would have been puzzled to learn that his practice of asking questions had been baptised “a method.” Indeed, when analysing the Socratic questioning recorded in Plato’s works, the impression is more chaotic…
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The Socratic method: definition and examples
People call “Socratic Method” a form of inquiry in which a statement or claim is tested by asking a sequence of questions. It is named after Socrates (469-399 BC) because it imitates his method of debating, when he discussed philosophy in Athens. Let me first point out that Socrates never regarded his way of debating…
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Socrates’ summary for beginners
If Socrates (469-399 BC) was so accomplished, why did he not write anything? If he was such a great thinker, why did he not make a systematic presentation of his ideas? And why did he become so famous, if he spent most of his life in Athens, debating people in the marketplace? Those questions will…
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Socrates’ false dichotomy and paradox
Hollywood movies about the mafia often portrait threats, intimidation and extortion. In those movies, criminals attempt to extort money from the victims by putting them in front of a false dichotomy. The victims are given the choice of paying for fake insurance or having their shop burned down. At the end of those movies, the…
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Socrates’ life and teachings revisited
When reading about the trial against Socrates (469-399 BC) and the exchanges between accusation and defence, I’m always amazed at the poor logic employed by Socrates. His defence in the trial was not only incompetent, but counterproductive. If he had left Athens beforehand and let the trial take place in his absence, I don’t think…
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Who was Socrates and what did he teach?
The writings of Plato, Xenophon and Aristophanes portray Socrates (469-399 BC) as a real historical figure, not a literary invention. However, most of what’s said about Socrates doesn’t come from the original sources, but from later elaborations. If we trust history and philosophy professors, Socrates is to be credited for the key ideas underlying Western…
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Recent Posts
- How the Socratic method works in practice
- Strengths and weaknesses of the Socratic method
- Schopenhauer: How I became a hardcore realist
- Aristotle: How I got total clarity
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