Socratic method

src: previews.123rf.com

The Socratic method, also known as maieutika , elenchus method , elenctic method , or is a cooperative form of argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw in fundamental ideas and presumptions. This is a dialectical method, involving discussions in which the defense of a single point of view is questioned; one participant can lead the other to contradict themselves in a certain way, thus weakening the point of the defender. This method is named after the classical Greek philosopher Socrates and introduced by him in Plato's Theaetetus as midwifery (maieutika) because it is used to elicit implicit definitions in the speaker's beliefs, or to help them advance their understanding.

The Socratic method is a method of hypothesis elimination, in which the hypothesis is better found by continuously identifying and eliminating those that lead to contradictions. The Socratic Method seeks common truth, which is usually held that molds beliefs and examines them to determine their consistency with other beliefs. The basic form is a series of questions formulated as logic and fact tests intended to help a person or group find their beliefs about multiple topics, explore definitions or logoi (single logo ) and attempt to characterize the common characteristics possessed by various specific examples.

Video Socratic method

Development

In the second half of the 5th century BC, sofis was a teacher who specialized in using philosophical tools and rhetoric to entertain, impress, or persuade audiences to accept the speaker's point of view. Socrates promoted an alternative teaching method which came to be called the Socratic method.

Socrates began to engage in such discussions with his fellow Athenians after his youth friend, Chaerephon, visited the Oracle of Delphi, affirming that no one in Greece is wiser than Socrates. Socrates saw this as a paradox, and began using the Socratic method to answer the puzzle. Diogenes LaÃÆ'® rtius, however, wrote that Protagoras invented the method of "Socrates".

The famous Plato formalized the Elenctic Socratic style in prose - presenting Socrates as a curious questioner from some of Athena's famous speakers - in some early dialogues, such as Euthyphro , and this method most often found in the so-called "Socrates dialogue," which generally depicts Socrates as involved in methods and questioning his citizens about moral and epistemological issues. But in his later dialogue, like Theaetetus or Sophist, Plato has different methods for philosophical discussion, namely dialectics.

Maps Socratic method

Method

Elenchus (Ancient Greek: ??????? , translit.Ã, elengkhos , lit.Ã, 'arguments of disability or rejection, cross-examination, testing, examination especially for denial') is a central technique of the method Socrates. The Latin form elenchus (plural elenchi ) is used in English as a technical philosophical term. The most common adjective form in English is elenctic ; elenchic and elenchtic is also current.

In Plato's early dialogue, elenchus was a technique that Socrates used to investigate, for example, the nature or definition of ethical concepts such as justice or virtue. According to Vlastos, he has the following steps:

1. The long-distance speaker affirms the thesis, eg "Courage is the endurance of the soul", which Socrates considers wrong and the target for rejection.
2. Socrates secures his interlocutor agreement for further, eg "Courage is a good thing" and "Foolish resilience is not a good thing".
3. Socrates then argues, and the companion agrees, that this further premise implies the opposite of the original thesis; in this case, it leads to: "courage is not the endurance of the soul".
4. Socrates later claimed that he had shown that his interlocutor's thesis was wrong and that the negation was correct.

An elenctic examination may lead to a new, smoother examination of the concept under consideration, in this case inviting examination of the claim: "Courage is wise endurance of the soul". Most Socrates investigations consist of a series of elenchi and usually end up with confusion known as aporia.

Frede points out that Vlastos's conclusion in step # 4 above does not make sense from the initial nature of the initial dialogues. Having pointed out that the proposed thesis is false, it is not enough to conclude that some other competing theses must be true. On the contrary, the other person has reached aporia, the improved situation still does not know what to say about the subject being discussed.

The exact nature of elenchus is subject to much debate, especially as to whether it is a positive method, leading to a knowledge, or a negative method used solely to disprove false claims to knowledge.

W. K. C. Guthrie in The Greek Philosophers sees it as a mistake to regard the Socratic method as a means by which one seeks answers to problems, or knowledge. Guthrie claims that the Socratic method actually aims to show one's ignorance. Socrates, unlike the Sophists, believed that knowledge was possible, but believed that the first step toward knowledge was the recognition of one's ignorance. Guthrie writes, "[Socrates] is accustomed to saying that he himself knows nothing, and that the only way in which he is wiser than others is that he is conscious of his own ignorance, while they are not. his interlocutor that when he thinks he knows something, in fact he does not. "{pg 74}

src: outspokenela.files.wordpress.com

Apps

Socrates generally applies his method of examination to concepts that seem to have no concrete definition; for example, the key moral concepts at the time, the virtues of piety, wisdom, simplicity, courage, and justice. Such exams challenge the implicit moral convictions of their interlocutors, bringing insufficiency and inconsistency in their beliefs, and usually produce aporia. Given these shortcomings, Socrates himself admits his ignorance, but others still claim to have knowledge. Socrates believed that his consciousness about his ignorance made him wiser than those who, though foolish, still claimed knowledge. While this belief seems paradoxical at first sight, it actually allows Socrates to find his own fault in which others may consider them right. This claim is known by the anecdote of the Delphi orfony statement that Socrates is the wisest of all men. (Or, rather, no one is wiser than Socrates.)

Socrates uses this wisdom claim as the basis of his moral counsel. Thus, he claims that the main good consists of caring for a soul that cares for moral truth and moral understanding, that "wealth does not bring good, but good carries wealth and every other blessing, both to the individual and to the state," and that "life without examination [dialog] is not worth living ". With this in mind the Socratic method is used.

The motive for the modern use of this method and the use of Socrates is not always equivalent. Socrates rarely uses such methods to actually develop a consistent theory, instead of using the myths to explain it. The Parmenides dialogue shows Parmenides using the Socratic method to show the flaws in the Platonic theory of the Forms, as presented by Socrates; this is not the only dialogue where the theories usually described by Plato/Socrates are broken down through dialectics. Rather than come to the answer, this method is used to break down the theory we hold, to go "beyond" the axioms and postulates we take for granted. Therefore, the myth and method of Socrates is not intended by Plato to be incompatible; they have different goals, and are often described as "left hand" and "right hand" toward goodness and wisdom.

Socratic Circles

A Socratic Circle (also known as Socratic Seminar ) is a pedagogical approach based on the Socratic method and uses a dialogical approach to understanding information in a text. The systematic procedure is used to examine the text through questions and answers based on the belief that all new knowledge is connected with previous knowledge, that all thought comes from asking questions, and that asking one question should lead to asking further questions. The Socrates Circle is not a debate. The purpose of this activity is for participants to work together to build meaning and come up with answers, not for one student or one group to "win the argument".

This approach is based on the belief that participants seek and gain a deeper understanding of the concept in the text through wise dialogue rather than remembering the information that has been provided to them. While the Socratic Circle may differ in structure, and even in name, they usually involve the following components: a passage of text that students must read before and two concentric circles of students: the outer circle and the inner circle. The inner circle focuses on the exploration and analysis of the text through the act of asking and answering. During this phase, the outer circle remains silent. Students in the outer circle are like scientific observers who watch and listen to the conversations of the inner circle. When the text is fully discussed and the inner circle is finished speaking, the outer circle provides feedback on the dialogue that occurs. This process alternates with the inner circle students going to the outer circle for the next meeting and vice versa. The length of this process varies depending on the text used for the discussion. Teachers can decide to alternate groups in one meeting, or they can take turns at each separate meeting.

The most significant difference between this activity and the most common classroom activity involves the role of the teacher. In the Socrates Circle the students lead the discussion and questions. The teacher's role is to ensure the progress of the discussion regardless of the particular direction taken by the discussion.

Various approaches to the Socratic Circle

Teachers use the Socrates Circle in different ways. The structure taken may look different in each class. While this is not an exhaustive list, teachers may use one of the following structures to hold the Socratic Seminar:

1. Inner/outer circle or fish bowl : Students must be arranged in inner and outer circles. The inner circle engages in discussion of the text. The outer circle observes the inner circle, while taking notes. The outer circles share their observations and question the inner circle with the guidance of the teacher/facilitator. Students use constructive criticism as opposed to making judgments. The students outside tracked the topics they wanted to discuss as part of the debrief. External circle participants can use the observation checklist or note form to monitor participants in the inner circle. These tools will provide a structure for listening and providing specific details to outside members for later discussion in the seminar. Teachers can also sit in the circle but at the same height as the students.
2. Triad : Students are arranged so that each participant (called "pilot") in the inner circle has two "co-pilots" sitting behind them on either side. Pilots are speakers because they are in the inner circle; co-pilot was in the outer circle and only spoke during the consultation. The seminar took place as another seminar. At a point at the seminar, the facilitator stops the discussion and instructs the triads to talk to each other. Conversations are about topics that require more in-depth discussion or questions raised by leaders. Sometimes a triad will be asked by the facilitator to ask a new question. At any time during triad conversations, group members can switch seats and one of the pilot's partners can sit in the pilot's seat. Only during that time a seat transfer was allowed. This structure allows students to speak, who may not yet have the confidence to speak in large groups. This type of seminar involves all students, not just students in the inner and outer circles.
3. Concurrent Seminars : Students are organized into small groups and placed as far away from each other as possible. Following the Socrates Seminar guidelines, the students engage in small group discussions. Simultaneous seminars are usually conducted with experienced students who need little guidance and can engage in discussions without the help of a teacher/facilitator. According to the literature, this type of seminar is useful for teachers who want students to explore various texts around key issues or topics. Each small group may have different texts to read/see and discuss. The larger Socrates seminar can then occur as a discussion of how each text corresponds to one another. Concurrent seminars can also be used for very difficult text. Students can work on various problems and key parts of the text.

No matter what structure teachers use, the basic premise of a seminar/circle is to change the control and direction of the partial classes to the students. Seminars encourage students to work together, create meaning from the text and to move away from trying to find the correct interpretation. The emphasis is on critical and creative thinking.

Text selection

Socratic Circle texts

The Socrates Circle Text is a real document that creates a discussion of thought. The text should be appropriate for the current level of intellectual and social development of the participants. This provides an anchor for dialogue where the facilitator can take the participants back to the text if they start to deviate. Furthermore, the seminar text allows participants to create a balanced playing field - ensuring that the dialogical tone in the classroom remains consistent and pure to the subject or topic being discussed. Some practitioners argue that "text" should not be limited to printed text, but may include artifacts such as objects, physical space, and the like.

Essential elements of Socrates' effective text

The text of socratic seminars is able to challenge participants' thinking skills by having these characteristics:

1. Ideas and values ​​
2. Complexity and challenge
3. Relevance with the participant curriculum
4. Ambiguity

1. Ideas and values ​​ - The text should introduce complex ideas and values ​​that are difficult to summarize. Strong discussions arise from personal connections to abstract ideas and from implications to personal values.

2. Complexity and challenge - The text must be rich in ideas and complexity and open to interpretation. Ideally it should require a lot of readings, but it should be not far above the intellectual level of the participants or very long.

3. Relevance with participants and curriculum - An effective text has an identifiable theme that can be identified and related to the lives of the participants. The theme in the text must relate to the curriculum.

4. Ambiguity - The text should be approached from different perspectives, including perspectives that seem mutually exclusive, thereby provoking critical thinking and asking important questions. The absence of right and wrong answers encourages discussion and encourages individual contributions.

Two different ways to select text

Sokratis texts can be divided into two main categories:

1. Print text (eg short stories, poems, and essays) and non-printed text (eg photos, sculptures, and maps); and

2. Subject area, which can be retrieved from print or non-print artifacts. For example, the art of language can be approached through poetry, history through oral or written historical speech, science through environmental policy, mathematics through mathematical evidence, health through nutritional labels, and physical education through fitness guidance.

Questioning Method in Socrates Circle

The Socrates circle is based on peer interactions. The focus is to explore different perspectives on a particular issue or topic. The Socrates question is used to help students apply these activities to their learning. The pedagogy of Socrates' question is open, focusing on broad, not specific, general ideas, factual information. Questioning techniques emphasize the level of questions and thoughts where there is no right answer.

The social circle generally begins with open questions raised by leaders or by other participants. No first appointed speaker; when individuals participate in the Socratic circle, they gain experience enabling them to be effective in this initial questioning role.

The leader keeps the topic focused by asking questions about the text itself, as well as questions to help clarify positions when the argument gets confused. Leaders also try to persuade participants who are reluctant to discuss, and limit the contribution of those who tend to dominate. He or she asks the participants to describe their responses and to build what others are saying. Leaders guide participants to deepen, clarify, and paraphrase, and to synthesize different views.

Participants share responsibility with leaders to maintain the quality of Socrates' circle. They listen actively to respond effectively to what others have contributed. It teaches participants to think and talk persuasively using discussions to support their position. Participants should show respect for different ideas, ideas, and values, and should not interfere with each other.

Questions can be made individually or in small groups. All participants are given the opportunity to take part in the discussion. Socratic Circles sets out three different types of questions to prepare:

1. The opening question generated a discussion at the beginning of the seminar to get a dominant theme.
2. The guiding questions help deepen and elaborate discussions, safeguard contributions to topics and encourage positive atmosphere and consideration for others.
3. Closing questions lead participants to summarize their thoughts and lessons and personalize what they have discussed.

Psychotherapy

The Socratic Method, in the form of the Socratic question, has been adapted for psychotherapy, most prominently in Classical Adlerian psychotherapy, Logotherapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Therapy and Reality Therapy. This can be used to clarify meanings, feelings, and consequences, as well as gradually open insights, or explore alternative actions.

The Socratic method also recently inspired a new form of applied philosophy: a socratic dialogue, also called philosophical counseling. In Europe, Gerd B. Achenbach is probably the most famous practitioner, and Michel Weber has also proposed another variant of this exercise.

src: slideplayer.com

See also

• Dialectics
• Harkness table, teaching method based on Socrates method
• Marva Collins
• The Paper Chase , based on a 1970 novel of the same name, dramatizes the use of the Socratic method in the law school class
• Socrates Cafe
• The irony of Socrates
• Socrates Dialog

src: ericbrooke.files.wordpress.com

References

src: 1.bp.blogspot.com

Further reading

Articles

• Areeda, Philip E. 'The Socrates Method' (1996) 109 (5) Harvard Law Review 911-922
• Darvhisi, Dariush, "The difference between the dialectic method of Socrates and Plato", Logical Studies, Volume & amp; Problem: Volume 2, Number 4, Winter 2012, pp. 49-76.
• Vlastos, Gregory; Vlastos (1983). "Eliseus Socrates". Oxford Study in Ancient Philosophy . 1 : 27-58.

Books

• Benson, Hugh (2000) Socratic Wisdom . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Frede, Michael (1992) 'Arguments of Plato and the Form of Dialogue' in Oxford Study in Ancient Philosophy , Additional Volume, 201-19.
• Guthrie, W. K. C. (1968) Greek philosophers from Thales to Aristotle . London: Routledge.
• Jarratt, Susan C. (1991) Re-reading Sophis: Recommended Classical Rhetoric . Carbondale and Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University Press.
• Sprague, Rosamond Kent (1972) The Older Sophists . Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company ISBNÃ, 0-87220-556-8.

src: i.ytimg.com

External links

• Robinson, Richard, Plato's Early Dialectic , 2nd ed. (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1953).
  • Ch. 2: Elenchus;
  • Ch. 3: Elenchus: Live and Indirectly
• Philosopher.org - 'Start Your Socrates Cafe Tips', Christopher Phillips, Cecilia Phillips
• Socraticmethod.net Socrates Research Method Portal
• How to Use the Socrates Method
• UChicago.edu - 'The Socratic Method' by Elizabeth Garrett (1998)
• Teach by Asking Not by Notifying, example from Rick Garlikov
• The Gutenberg Project: Works by Plato
• Project Gutenberg: Works by Xenophon (including some of Socrates's works)
• Project Gutenberg: Works by Cicero (including some works in the "Socrates dialog" format)
• Socrates Club
• Socrates and Scientific Method

Source of the article : Wikipedia