Why is Socratic Method so Effective? Most dabblers in philosophy, myself included, are the contentious sort. We assert our opinion and reject others’ offhand, without giving any reason as to why our opinion is better. Consequently, discussions tend to end in futility, with both sides going away unaffected and unimpressed. By contrast, the Socratic Method often ends in unanimous consensus among the interlocutors, with others agreeing with Socrates and seemingly unable […]
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“On Sophistical Refutations” by Aristotle
What is Sophistry? That some reasonings are genuine, while others seem to be so but are not, is evident. This happens with arguments, as also elsewhere, through a certain likeness between the genuine and the sham. For physically some people are in a vigorous condition, while others merely seem to be so by blowing and rigging themselves out as the tribesmen do their victims for sacrifice; and some people are […]
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The Dialectical Method The contentious way of philosophical discourse is to make your statement and challenge others to examine and refute it; The dialectical way is not merely to answer what is true, but also to make use of those points which the questioned person acknowledges he knows. All Learning is But Recollection Meno argues that “A man cannot enquire either about that which he knows, or about that which […]
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