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Philosophy vocabulary · Key Thinkers' Concepts

Socratic method

Meaning in philosophy, with examples

nounCommon term

In philosophy, Socratic method means: A way of examining ideas through a series of questions and answers that exposes contradictions in someone's beliefs and pushes them toward clearer thinking.

In Turkish: Sokratik yöntem, Sokratik sorgulama

How it is used

Named after Socrates as he appears in Plato's early dialogues, where he asks questions such as 'What is courage?' and tests each answer. The Greek term is elenchus. Law schools and philosophy seminars still use versions of it.

Example sentences

  1. In the Euthyphro, Socrates uses the Socratic method to test definitions of piety.

  2. Our tutor runs the seminar using the Socratic method, so be ready to answer questions.

Common collocations

  • use the Socratic method
  • Socratic questioning
  • Socratic dialogue
  • Socratic irony
  • dialecticA method of reaching truth through the clash of opposing positions, from the questions and answers of Plato's dialogues to Hegel's account of ideas developing through contradiction.
  • objectionA reason given against a claim, theory or argument, suggesting that it may be false, unclear or badly supported.
  • counterexampleA particular case showing that a general claim or definition is false, or an example with true premises and a false conclusion showing that an argument form is invalid.
  • theory of FormsPlato's theory that beyond the changing physical world there are perfect, eternal and unchanging Forms, such as Beauty or Justice itself, which things only imperfectly copy.

More terms: Key Thinkers' Concepts

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