The Socratic Method is also known as the elenchic method or elenchus. It involves the use of questions in the process of discussion. The Socratic Method allows a person to obtain an opinion through posing a quasi-rhetorical question. Such a question triggers the next person to think. It provides him or her with the direction in which he or she should think. This only makes it easier for that person to provide answers. The main agenda is to guide the thinking process of a person. In this method, the inquirer dismisses every hypothesis that contradicts itself. Such continued elimination of ideas leads to a final hypothesis that does not contradict itself. At the end of an argument, that utilizes the Socratic Method, a perfectly explanatory hypothesis arises through which the explaining party finds the answers to the main question. The Socratic Method aids reason and scrutinizes the validity of information and the consistency of a hypothesis.
The Socratic Method is an effective one in many cases since it enables the inquirer to engage his audience in his discussion. Such engagement triggers the audience to reason critically and question the content of presented hypothesis. At the end of the day, the outcome of such an argument is a well-criticized and analyzed hypothesis that it does not leave any doubt when presented. In most of the cases when Socrates employed elenchus, he ended up refuting a given hypothesis. The method became useful, therefore for refuting hypotheses. The fashion of elenchus followed Socrates defining the question at hand. He would state the statement or argument that he wished to refute such as ‘courage is endurance of the soul.’ He would then separate the argument into two or three lesser explanations of the content in the presented argument. In the case of courage, Socrates argued that it was a true thing to say that courage was a fine thing. He goes ahead to say that endurance however, is not a very good thing since it arises from ignorance. In the next statement, Socrates said, “ignorant endurance is not a fine thing.’ The philosopher then goes ahead to explain that since the second part of the statement fails the entire argument, then courage is not endurance of the soul.
Through arguing in this manner, Socrates ensured a step by step analysis of the content of his hypothesis and those of others. The idea was not to disapprove of what others think but to take up the perfect truth for the good of all that would consider the provided thoughts. It is important to provide a viable truth in the case where such a truth is to be offered. After all, arguing matters of reason together also triggers the listeners of these hypotheses to think actively and more creatively. The Socratic Method has been helpful in many settings and aided in creating useful hypotheses over the years. Several scholars have also taken advantage of it by criticizing already existing theories in order to provide the most refined information to their audiences and students. The Socratic Method can be said to have been the most effective method and the most popular among scholars of this generation. Its usage has continued since the medieval times and has greatly improved the society. At the end of the day, it is criticism that builds a good and applicable thought.
Bibliography
Bluck, R. S. Plato’s Phaedo: A Translation of Plato’s Phaedo. New York: Routledge, 2014.
Cohen, S. Marc, and Patricia Curd. Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy from Thales to Aristotle. 4th ed. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub., 2011. Print.
Plato. Five Great Dialogues of Plato. Claremont, CA: Coyote Canyon Press, 2009.
