Socratic questioning is one example of how Socrates lives on.

What exactly is it, and why is it still so widely used in our world?

At a Glance

You may remember Socratic questioning from past or current school daysand not fondly.

Senior woman teaching in a classroom or seminar

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It’s the method of communication by which someone intentionally challenges otherssuch as their studentsthrough open-ended questioning.

Often, there is no clear answer to the line of questioning, and no clear answer is intended.

What Is Socratic Questioning?

Clinical and forensic psychologistDr.

By asking thought provoking questions, we can have deeper interactions.

This is helpful in prefs both clinical and casual.

What Are the 4 Stages of Socratic Questioning?

The four stages of Socratic questioning are also known as “guided discovery.

“As you may expect, this practice has four stages.

What Are the Six Types of Socratic Questioning?

so that probe further into a subject, there are different question styles used.

These get people thinking in bigger ways than other questions might.

Here are some examples.

Therapy

Socratic questioning is a valuable psychotherapeutic tool.

This questioning style can be used throughout therapy, and offers a way to facilitate communication and forward progression.

This is the entirety of the Socratic questioning method, step by step.

Court

The legal system is an arena that’s full of Socratic questioning.

Can you provide an example?

How do you know this is true?

Do you have data?

If this is true, what does it mean for a person who also has anxiety?

If it is not trauma, what else could it be?

Why does talking about trauma matter in this case?”

Benefits of Applying Socratic Questioning

As you could see, Socratic questioning has a variety of uses.

It also has numerous benefits in the world.

In therapy, it helps people move through challenging issues.

Additionally, it allows everyone to better understand their own thoughts and feelings.

It could also lead a person to feel attacked, if the questions are too probing.

Here are some guidelines for adding Socratic questioning into your day to day life.

Schneider J.Remembrance of things past: a history of the socratic method in the united states.Curriculum Inquiry.

2013;43(5):613-640.