Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to Socrates or his philosophy: Describes anything connected to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, his ideas, or his approach to inquiry.
   • Characteristic of Socrates' method of teaching: Specifically describes the pedagogical technique of asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The professor used a Socratic method to guide the discussion, asking probing questions rather than giving direct answers.
  • He has a deep interest in Socratic philosophy and ethics.

Advanced Usage

• "Socratic irony": A rhetorical technique where a person feigns ignorance (pretends not to know) in order to expose the weaknesses in another person's argument or to encourage deeper thought.

  • The lawyer employed Socratic irony during the cross-examination, leading the witness to contradict himself.

• "Socratic dialogue": A literary genre or a conversational form based on the method of Socrates, where characters discuss moral and philosophical problems through a question-and-answer format.

  • Plato's "Republic" is written as a Socratic dialogue.

Variants and Related Words

• Socratically (adverb): In a manner relating to or using the Socratic method.
  • The tutor led the session Socratically, encouraging students to discover the principles themselves.

Synonyms

• Maieutic: Relating to the Socratic method of bringing ideas to light through questioning (from the Greek for "midwifery," a metaphor Socrates used for his method).
• Dialectical: Involving logical discussion and reasoning, especially of opposing ideas, which is central to the Socratic approach.

Related Phrases

• Socratic method / Socratic questioning: A form of cooperative argumentative dialogue based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and draw out ideas.
  • Many law schools use the Socratic method to teach students how to analyze cases.

Adjective

1. of or relating to Socrates or to his method of teaching
   • Socratic teaching