A brief look at Socratic thinking

It has been said that the teachings of the Socratic method is never likely to be popular because it doesn’t offer what most people think they want. The teachings don’t propose to make anyone richer or more famous. They don’t offer rewards after death. They don’t answer the questions that torment us, and they don’t confirm that we’re right about what we already think. What the teachings do offer is wisdom, but this good thing is always bought at the price of some discomfort. The human appetite for wisdom, and its tolerance for discomfort, has never been great, in ancient times or ours. (Excerpts from "The Socratic Method – A Practitioner’s Handbook" by Ward Farnsworth)

In this short essay, I try to summarize the essence of the Socratic Method of thought. Farnsworth characterizes it as a technique founded on an ethic of patience, inquiry, humility, and doubt, in other words, of every good attitude discouraged by social media and disappearing from our political and cultural life. So, what are the basic elements of the Socratic method of thinking?

1. Patience: When you read or hear something you disagree with, you need to slow down and consider the viewpoint of the speaker or author. What is his background; what are his values and though they differ from yours, are they reasonably valid and consistent with his thesis? Taking the time to do this may reveal some weaknesses in your own thinking, and it will help to take the emotions out of the conversation or your views. This will help to keep conversations civil and more productive. Even more important is the need, absent consideration or debate of someone else’s stated view, to question and play devil’s advocate with yourself to find potential weaknesses in your own thoughts or conclusions. Take the time to seriously consider whether or not your thought, belief, or conclusion is consistent with your other thoughts, beliefs, or conclusions. If not, you may find yourself realizing that have not achieved true wisdom, that you have more thinking to do to refine and improve your thinking, and that true wisdom is elusive and a lifelong pursuit that is never perfected (i.e., patience with yourself while seeking truth and wisdom).
2. Inquiry: Seek out and carefully study the thoughts and justifications for views held by others, particularly notable thinkers from the long past (e.g., the writings of Plato on Socrates) and from current times. Consider history and human nature, including your own and that of others, and seek to understand how history teaches the truth about how human nature and its strengths and weaknesses have played a role in successes and catastrophes in human history. This can easily apply to a huge spectrum of human matters, from relationships such as marriage and child raising, business dealings, politics, and many more aspects of life. Nobody is smart enough to find broad ranging truth and wisdom without studying other thinkers and debating within one’s own open mind.
3. Humility: Admit to yourself that neither you nor anyone else is without fault and inconsistency. This paves the way for civility with others, which itself can stimulate positive changes within oneself and others, better and more productive conversations and relationships, and greater comfort with oneself while endlessly seeking truth and greater wisdom. When making mistakes, humility also helps with admitting mistakes to oneself which, in turn, makes it much easier to admit mistakes to others who may be involved or interested and thus reduce anxiety and defensive or aggressive behavior.
4. Doubt: For this I quote Farnsworth: “The Socratic ethic can help explain a certain kind of life story. Some people spend years struggling with hard questions and never quite find peace about them. They sometimes look with envy at others who seem to have found satisfactory answers early. Not having found answers of their own feels like unfinished work, a road half travelled, a test not completed. But the Socratic view is the other way around. Dissatisfaction with answers you give yourself is a symptom of good health. Coming to rest means surrender to a kind of comfort that is always deceptive, no matter how tempting it looks or how deserved it feels. The Socratic way seeks a different kind of comfort – with uncertainty, with fallibility, and with beliefs that are never more than provisional. On this view, the good life isn’t a result reached by winning the struggle. The struggle is the good life.” Thus, patience, inquiry, humility, and self-doubt are true disciplines that lead to greater wisdom, inner peace, and better relations with others.

CHUCK HULBERT

Sagle