The Socratic Method (Elenchus) Explained: How Asking the Right Questions Changes Everything
The Socratic Method (Elenchus) is a form of conversation-based learning which uses probing questions to examine an idea. It was developed by the Greek philosopher Socrates with examples recorded in Plato’s dialogues.
So why should you care about some teaching technique, developed over 2000 years ago?
Well, for one, the technique is still used, not just for academic teaching but also for legal practice, psychotherapy and coaching. It is also often associated with debating, and it does help with public speaking, but the Socratic approach is actually about collaboration and finding truth, not just winning an argument.
But what about for everyone else? Why should they bother to use it?
That’s because its application is much broader, as it is useful in any situation where people want to apply critical thinking and logically explore new ideas. That is why there is increasing interest, beyond traditional spheres, in rediscovering this age-old approach.
As you might have guessed, I have drawn on the Socratic Method to write this little introduction, using the form of an internal or imaginary dialogue. As such, you can start to see the conversational nature of the approach. But now let’s break it down a bit more.
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The Socratic Method Step by Step
The nature of the question process is iterative and can be summarised in these five steps:
- Receive – the questioner listens to the speaker’s idea
- Reflect – the questioner repeats back the statement to clarify understanding
- Refine – the questioner uses questions to explore the logic of the hypothesis
- Re-state – the speaker re-states their adapted proposal
- Restart – the process begins again to test the new theory
This system is explored more fully in my post:
How to Use the Socratic Questioning Technique
But today I wanted to explore how the elenchus is used, by way of an example. And where better to start than with Socrates himself? So, let’s look at one of Plato’s most famous dialogues: Euthyphro.
Euthyphro: Plato’s dialogue that demonstrates the Socratic Method
In this dialogue, we have Socrates in conversation with Euthyphro as they attempt to establish a definitive meaning for piety. So here we are talking about virtue, of living a good or just life.
It is a prime example of how the Socratic Method (Elenchus) works and how Socrates uses it to teach. Socrates keeps asking incisive questions and forces Euthyphro to test and clarify his thinking.
In this case, Euthyphro has come to present charges of manslaughter against his own father. Yes, Euthyphro has daddy issues, but that is not the crux of this interaction, and to be fair, Euthyphro does have some justification. This is because his father had allowed one of their workers to die of exposure, whilst bound and left to the mercy of the elements.
He meets Socrates in the Porch of King Archon, equivalent to the steps of the courthouse. It turns out that Socrates is there because he is being prosecuted for his alleged heretical ideas, which are subverting the youth. Given the youthful Euthyphro and the upcoming talk of piety, this situation gives a lovely ironic feeling to the whole scene!
Understanding the Socratic Method Through A Famous Philosophical Dialogue
Once they have both established the reason for being at the court, Socrates says that he is astonished by Euthyphro’s confidence in being able to prosecute his own father for the serious charge of manslaughter:
Socrates. Good heavens, Euthyphro! and is your knowledge of religion and of things pious and impious so very exact that, supposing the circumstances to be as you state them, you are not afraid lest you too may be doing an impious thing in bringing an action against your father?
Euthyphro. The best of Euthyphro, and that which distinguishes him, Socrates, from other men, is his exact knowledge of all such matters. What should I be good for without it?
The conceit and overconfidence of Euthyphro are like a red rag to Socrates. He sees his opening and retorts:
Socrates. Rare friend! I think that I cannot do better than be your disciple. Then, before the trial (with Meletus) comes on, I shall challenge him, and say that I have always had a great interest in religious questions, and now, as he charges me with rash imaginations and innovations in religion, I have become your disciple.
Euthyphro thinks he is being praised rather than gently mocked by Socrates at this point, so he is emboldened, and we enter into the dialogue proper. Now we see the five stages of Socrates’ methodology as the conversation develops.
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The five steps of the Socratic Method from a real example
1. Receive
So here we enter the first stage of the Socratic Method. When we start a Socratic conversation, we want to receive what the other person has to say on a given subject. Ideally, we want them to put forward their ideas in some sort of statement, hypothesis, or theory. To do this, sometimes we need to get things going with an open question. This is what Socrates does here:
Socrates. And what is piety, and what is impiety?
After a bit of waffle from Euthyphro, Socrates manages to elicit a definition of piety:
Euthyphro. Piety, then, is that which is dear to the gods, and impiety is that which is not dear to them.
2. Reflect
Now we get to the second stage of the Socratic Method. Socrates reflects back the ideas and re-states the definition. This is a classic technique, still used a lot, particularly in counselling, psychoanalysis and leadership coaching.
In this case, Socrates says:
Socrates. Come, then, and let us examine what we are saying. That thing or person which is dear to the gods is pious, and that thing or person which is hateful to the gods is impious, these two being the extreme opposites of one another. Was not that said?
3. Refine.
Euthyphro agrees that Socrates has reliably reflected the premise, and so now we enter the refining stage where questions are used to define terms, challenge assumptions and deepen understanding. In this stage, examples and thought experiments can also be used to check understanding and logic.
In this discussion, Socrates asks a series of questions that illustrate that gods and men have different opinions about what is good or bad. Therefore, an action could be both pious or impious, depending upon the viewpoint. This undermines the logic of the initial statement.
So, Euthyphro responds,
Euthyphro. But I believe, Socrates, that all the gods would be agreed as to the propriety of punishing a murderer: there would be no difference of opinion about that.
4. Re-State
Having moved forward a little in his thinking, with some more questioning, Euthyphro tweaks his definition. Therefore, we are now in the re-stating phase of the Socratic Method. Euthyphro says:
Euthyphro. Yes, I should say that what all the gods love is pious and holy, and the opposite, which they all hate, is impious.
In this updated assertion, you can see that Euthyphro narrows the pious or impious actions down to ones that all the gods agree upon.
At this point, Euthyphro probably thinks he has got it sorted; he has the definitive answer and, despite a slight mental wobble, his confidence is restored.
But he is not off the hook just yet…
5. Re-Start
Now that there is a new definition, Socrates effectively starts the cycle again, checking the new statement and then using questions to challenge and refine the new terms they are using.
In this particular instance, in the refining stage, Socrates goes to town on the concept of love, as regards holiness and piety, and again highlights the logical flaws in Euthyphro’s definitions.
Now Euthyphro is really getting confused, and I have some sympathy for him here! Socrates uses a stream of probing questions, delving ever deeper into concepts, so that the conversation becomes quite convoluted.
And so, we get to the point where our young friend says:
Euthyphro. I do not understand you, Socrates.
It appears that Socrates has slightly less sympathy for the young man, as his response is again a mocking one:
Socrates. And yet I know that you are as much wiser than I am, as you are younger. But, as I was saying, revered friend, the abundance of your wisdom makes you lazy. Please do exert yourself, for there is no real difficulty in understanding me.
Now there is further discussion on how piety relates to giving attention or ministering to the god. This leads to a further adaptation of the original definition, some further investigation, which leads back to the initial definition. Euthyphro can’t believe he is back where he started. Like Thor in the movie Ragnarok, he keeps going round in a freaky circle, ending up where he started.
The Socratic Method as a dialectic or iterative process
And thus, we start the process once again. Socrates receives and then re-states the idea, then refines it by showing the inherent logical fallacies. For example, Socrates says:
Socrates. And are you not saying that what is loved of the gods is holy; and is not this the same as what is dear to them-do you see?
Euthyphro. True.
Socrates. Then either we were wrong in former assertion; or, if we were right then, we are wrong now.
Let’s pause for a moment. Firstly, notice how Socrates uses aporia. In other words, he appears perplexed by this logical contradiction. This is both a rhetorical device and a philosophical tool.
Secondly, note how Socrates still uses the term ‘we’. Despite his gentle mocking, he is keeping this a joint endeavour and learning opportunity, as opposed to an adversarial argument or debate.
He could have chosen to say “you are wrong” or even “what you are saying is stupid”, both of which would have been justified. But Socrates, in his wisdom, knows that the conversation would have ended much sooner. Here, for now, Euthyphro is still engaged. He replies:
Euthyphro. One of the two must be true.
Socrates: Then we must begin again and ask, What is piety? Speak out then, my dear Euthyphro, and do not hide your knowledge.
But no dialogue lasts forever (even with Socrates)
At this point, having been subject to the elenchus process several times over, Euthyphro finally realises that he is unable to logically prove what piety is, and it probably dawns on him that he is not quite as clever as he initially thought. His high opinion of himself having been dented, he engages the classic get-out clause for any argument a person is losing: he makes an excuse and does a runner! He says:
Euthyphro. Another time, Socrates; for I am in a hurry, and must go now.
As Euthyphro exits stage left, probably a little red in the face. Again, I am sure we can empathise with Euthyphro a bit here. I mean, who hasn’t used that line to finish a difficult conversation?
But here, Socrates has the final word. Well, words actually:
Socrates. Alas! my companion, and will you leave me in despair? I was hoping that you would instruct me in the nature of piety and impiety; and then I might have cleared myself of Meletus and his indictment.
I am sure Socrates managed to say this straight-faced without any indication of sarcasm. However, I bet Plato, who was recording this, was struggling to hide his amusement!
The dangers of using sarcasm in arguments
Which brings us to an important point. In my experience, one must be very careful with the use of humour, particularly irony and sarcasm, when having a discussion. If someone feels mocked, it is very likely that the discussion will become overly emotional, rather than rational, and the ultimate aim of the process, which is to search for the truth, will be lost (as in this case, when one party walks away).
It is no surprise that Socrates called himself a “Gadfly”. He was knowingly like a little biting insect that stung people, in the hope of jolting people out of complacent thinking. But as mentioned, this does come at a risk. Socrates was eventually condemned to death. The Athenian state convicted him of impiety and corrupting the youth. This is perhaps the final ironic twist in this whole dialogue.
The Socratic Method: teaching you how to think, not what to think
There we have it, the elenchus, with Socrates himself teaching us his method through one of his own dialogues.
I love this thinking tool. I don’t just employ it as a leadership coach; I use it in conversation all the time. Although generally with less mocking (and less skill) than Socrates!
By employing probing questions, we naturally become more inquisitive and curious about the world and other people. This is a vital skill for anyone who wants to lead themselves or others better.
What’s more, this approach is of benefit to both ourselves and others, as it promotes collaboration and learning, whilst ensuring the discipline of stress-testing new thoughts and ideas.
So, in your next conversation, think about a good question you can ask that will help promote deeper understanding. And if you want more help with the method, be sure to check out:
How to Use the Socratic Questioning Technique
And if you have any further questions, do drop me a line via the Contact Page.
