The Socratic Method

THE SOCRATIC METHOD

by Antonio C. Antonio

August 13, 2014

The Socratic method is a form of communications between individuals characterized by asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking to form accepted ideas based on facts and accepted norms.  The aim of the Socratic method is to commonly held beliefs that influence common opinions, eliminating inconsistent ones until only the consistent beliefs are left.  This is done by formulating a series of questions to test the logical consistency of a common belief.  The aim of this method is to arrive a essentially new answers and definitions to a given thesis (meaning: a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintain or proved).

The Socratic method is a dialectical process which involves the stating of a thesis where an antithesis is engaged with the aim of producing a synthesis that would harmonize the pros and cons of a specific statement or theory.  The more contradiction and contrast (therefore, antithesis) being drawn to the thesis serves to strengthen the synthesis.  It is often viewed as a negative method of hypothesis elimination where the best hypotheses are discovered after identifying and eliminating the weak arguments.  Public debate strategies are formulated using the Socratic method to identify and anticipate the weakness in the argumentative assertions of the opposing debater (whether belonging to the pro or con side).

Aristotle (a Greek philosopher and scientist) attributed the discovery of this method of intellectual discourse characterized by critical thinking to Socrates (a classical Greek philosopher acknowledged to be one of the Fathers of Western philosophy).  If we have a structured way of thinking and reasoning, that has resulted to progressive solutions to modern-day problems, we owe it to the Socratic method.

Just my little thoughts…

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