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Socratic method
Sign in to saveAlso known as maieutics, method of elenchus, elenctic method, Socratic debate, questioning, interrogation
type of dialog or debate
~21 min read
Article
Marcello Bacciarelli's Alcibiades Being Taught by Socrates (1776)
The Socratic method is a form of argumentative dialogue in which an individual probes a conversation partner on a topic, using questions and clarifications, until the partner is pressed to come to a conclusion on their own, or else their reasoning breaks down and they are forced to admit ignorance. The method is also known as Socratic debate, the maieutic method, or the Socratic dialectic, and sometimes equated with the Greek term elenchus. Socratic dialogues between characters employing this method feature in many of the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, where a fictionalized version of his real-life teacher Socrates debates or expounds upon various philosophical issues with a partner.