Editing Socratic method (section)

{{short description|Type of cooperative argumentative dialogue}}
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[[File:Marcello Bacciarelli - Alcibiades Being Taught by Socrates, 1776-77 crop.jpg|thumb|[[Marcello Bacciarelli]]'s ''Alcibiades Being Taught by Socrates'' (1776)]]
{{Socrates}}

The '''Socratic method''' (also known as the '''method of Elenchus''' or '''Socratic debate''') is a form of argumentative [[dialogue]] between individuals based on asking and answering questions. Socratic dialogues feature in many of the works of the ancient Greek philosopher [[Plato]], where his teacher [[Socrates]] debates various philosophical issues with an "interlocutor" or "partner".<ref>[[Paul Woodruff|Woodruff, P.]], [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-ethics-shorter/#2 Elenchus: Plato’s Shorter Ethical Works], ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', revised on 18 December 2022, accessed on 2 January 2025</ref>

In Plato's dialogue "[[Theaetetus (dialogue)|Theaetetus]]", Socrates describes his method as a form of "midwifery" because it is employed to help his interlocutors develop their understanding in a way analogous to a [[Prenatal development|child developing in the womb]]. The Socratic method begins with commonly held beliefs and scrutinizes them by way of questioning to determine their internal consistency and their coherence with other beliefs and so to bring everyone closer to the truth.

In modified forms, it is employed today in a variety of [[pedagogical]] contexts.