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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