Socrates
Updated: Aug 7
Who was Socrates?
Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher from Athens who was best known for asking questions. He was born between 469 and 470 BCE. He passed away at 70, 399 BCE. (The BCE calendar works backwards, counting down.)
He wasn’t a writer, but a teacher and thinker. One of his most remarkable students was Plato, another well-known philosopher. All major works by Plato feature his beloved teacher, Socrates, and that is how we have information about his mindset and values today. He taught through conversation publicly; passersby often stopped by to debate him. Plato wrote that Socrates didn't think of himself as a teacher but rather as a companion. He is most well known and remembered through the Socratic Method, a form of dialogue occurring through questions that was named after him.
The Socratic Method
The Socratic method focuses on how to think and not necessarily what. It helps people understand what they do not know. Famous quotes by Socrates all ultimately say the same thing. Thinking is the root of knowing what you know and do not know.
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."
"I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think."
"Wonder is the beginning of wisdom."
The Socratic method is used globally today to enhance critical thinking; it isn’t used to teach but to encourage thinking, find contradictions or hidden assumptions, and understand things through logical reasoning. The method is used in law schools, graduate schools, as well as in leadership training. It is an interactive method to keep students engaged.
The method consists of 5 steps:
1 - Ponder.
Listen to what the other person’s view/opinion is.
2 - Contemplate.
Understand the similarities and differences in your and the other person’s perspectives. Simplify what you have heard.
3 - Catechize.
Ask questions regarding their statements. Encourage them to showcase evidence, figure out underlying inconsistencies regarding their assumptions, and quiz them about what you discovered because there's always something to uncover.
4 - Re-establish.
Using the newly found information they’ve given you through your questioning, understand their full statement again.
5 - Restart.
Repeat the steps starting from the very first one. This process ensures all possible flaws are caught and you arrive at the best possible result.
Example:
CP: Conversation Partner
Initial Opinion:
Begin with the initial assumption or view on a topic.
CP1: “Social media should be unavailable for kids under the age of 16.”
Counter-example:
Find a situation where their logic falls apart or creates an issue and ask about it.
CP2: “What about a teenager who relies on social media for support groups and mental health counseling?”
Refined Rule:
The CP will most likely alter their opinion, dig deeper using the new statement.
CP1: “Alright then, support and educational apps will be an exception.”
CP2: “Who decides what counts as an educational or support app? Should the government be in charge?”
Core Complexity:
Repeat this questioning loop until you arrive at the root of the issue.
CP1: “So is the actual issue the apps themselves, our lack of tools to teach kids safety, or the lack of firsthand physical support groups?”
Tips:
1 - Ask genuine questions you want answered.
2 - Don’t argue, “But what about…” Guide, “How would you…”
3 - Silence is a positive sign. It means the other person is thinking deeply.
Socrates was a soldier in the Peloponnesian War. He used to roam around the streets dressed in poor clothing and barefoot, to prove that good worth comes from the soul, not from expensive clothing. He believed that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” He wanted people to know that virtue is a form of knowledge and nurturing the soul should be a priority for everyone.
By a unanimous jury, he was sentenced to the death penalty by poison. The reason was impiety, as he did not believe in the city’s gods. Socrates, being the man he was, refused to compromise his morals and principles and had accepted the death sentence.
Learn More:
Media:
Roberto Rossellini’s biographical film, Socrates (1971).
Barefoot In Athens (1966).
Genius of the Ancient World: Socrates (2015)
Books:
The Last Days of Socrates (Plato)
The Hemlock Cup: Socrates, Athens and the Search for the Good Life (Bettany Hughes)
The Clouds (Aristophanes)
Written by
Layan Alsemrani - Founder & CEO
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