Socrates (470-399 a. C.) is the great landmark of Western philosophy. Even though he is not the first philosopher, he is known as the "father of philosophy". Much of this is due to his tireless quest for knowledge and the development of a method for that quest, the Socratic method.
In it, the Socratic dialectic aimed to question the habitual beliefs of its interlocutor to later assume his ignorance and seek true knowledge. The Socratic method seeks to remove the doxa (opinion) and reach the episteme (knowledge).
For Socrates, it is only after falsehood is removed that truth can emerge.
Thus, his method of investigation is composed of two moments: irony and maieutics.
1. Irony
The first part of the Socratic method known as irony comes from the Greek expression meaning "to ask, pretending not to know". This first moment of the Socratic dialogue has a negative character, as it denies preconceptions, prejudgments and prejudices (prejudices).
The irony consisted of questions asked to the interlocutor in order to make it clear that the knowledge he thought he possessed was merely an opinion or a partial interpretation of the reality.
For Socrates, lack of knowledge or ignorance is preferable to bad knowledge (knowledge based on prejudice). Thus, Socrates' questions were aimed at the interlocutor to realize that he is not sure of his beliefs and to recognize his own ignorance.
Socrates, with his questions, often annoyed his interlocutors and they abandoned the discussion before going on and trying to define the concept.
Socratic dialogues that end up uncompleted are called aporetic dialogues (aporia means "impasse" or "incompletion").
2. Maieutics
The second stage of the Socratic method is known as maieutics, which means "birth". In this second moment, the philosopher continues to ask questions, this time with the objective that the interlocutor arrives at a safe conclusion on the subject and manages to define a concept.
The name "maieutic" was inspired by the family of Socrates. Her mother Fainarete was a midwife and the philosopher took her as an example and claimed that the two had similar activities. While the mother helped women to give birth to children, Socrates helped people to give birth to ideas.
Socrates understood that ideas are already within people and are known to their eternal soul. However, the correct question can remind the soul of its previous knowledge.
For the philosopher, nobody is able to teach something to another person. Only she herself can become aware, give birth to ideas. Reflection is the way to achieve knowledge.
Therefore, it is important to complete the maieutics. In it, based on reflection, the subject starts from the simplest knowledge he already has and moves towards a more complex and more perfect knowledge.
This Socratic thought served as the basis for the "theory of reminiscence" developed by Plato.
"I only know that I know nothing" and the Importance of Ignorance
Socrates he received from the Oracle at Delphi a message that he was the wisest among Greek men. Questioning himself, Socrates said his famous phrase: "I only know that I know nothing", how could the wisest be.
So, the philosopher realized that questioning and becoming aware of one's ignorance is the first step in the quest for knowledge.
The so-called "sages" were sure about their knowledge. However, they were no more than mere opinions or a partial perspective on reality.
Socrates realized that the security of these sages would cause them never to seek true knowledge. While he, being aware of his own ignorance, would always be looking for the truth.
Life without questions is not worth living.
See too: I only know that I know nothing: the enigmatic phrase of Socrates.
The Socratic Method and Plato's Cave Myth
Socrates' main disciple, Plato (c. 428-347 a. C.), in his famous Allegory of the Cave (or Cave myth), tells the story of a prisoner who was born chained at the bottom of a cave like many others.
Unhappy with his condition, this prisoner manages to free himself, leaves the cave and contemplates the outside world.
Not satisfied and feeling compassion towards the other prisoners inside the cave, the prisoner decides to return to the hostile interior of the cave to try to rescue other prisoners.
However, on his return, the other prisoners discredited him, laughed at him, and finally killed him.
Through this metaphor, Plato narrates Socrates' trajectory in ancient Greece and what he understands to be the role of philosophy.
For him, the questioning proposed by the Socratic philosophy is the attitude that makes the individual perceive himself as a prisoner to a world of appearances and imprisoned by his prejudices and opinions.
This restlessness is what makes the individual seek true knowledge, the way out of the cave. By understanding the truth illuminated by the Sun (truth), he becomes free.
Plato speaks of the role of the philosopher. The philosopher is one who feels compassion for others, who is not satisfied with having knowledge for himself, and who needs to try to free people from the darkness of ignorance.
The tragic outcome imagined by Plato refers to the judgment and condemnation of his master, Socrates.
The Socratic method, especially irony, ended up bothering the powerful of Athens who were often ridiculed by the philosopher. The exposure of the ignorance of the powerful Greek politicians condemned Socrates to death.
Socrates was accused of attacking the Greek gods and misrepresenting the youth. He was found guilty and sentenced to drink a cup of hemlock (a poison that causes paralysis and death).
Socrates surprised his followers and friends by refusing to flee and accept condemnation. Among these followers was Plato.
Interested? Toda Matéria has other texts that can help:- Dialectics: the art of dialogue and complexity
- Plato's Dialectic
- Rhetoric
- Platonism, the philosophy of Plato
- Pre-Socratic Philosophers
- ancient philosophy
