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Asking Socratic Questions

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates is considered one of the most brilliant teachers in the history of the world, cultivating great minds such as Plato. Yet he never wrote down his wisdom or lectured his students. Instead, Socrates engaged them in discourse, asking questions to encourage discussion and deep thinking. Socratic questions will help you deepen your own and others’ thinking.

Socratic Questions

  • Clarifying questions ask the person to say exactly what is meant.
    • Could you rephrase that, please?
    • Could you provide an example?
  • Assumption questions ask the person to explore underlying ideas.
    • Are you assuming that __________________?
    • Could you explain why/how __________________?
  • Reasoning questions ask the person to trace the logic of an idea.
    • What is the main cause of __________________?
    • What evidence shows that __________________?
  • Perspective questions ask the person to consider other points of view.
    • How would another person see the issue?
    • How is ______________ like and different from _____________?
  • Consequence questions ask the person to consider what might happen.
    • What could result from that idea?
    • What is the value of __________________ and why?
  • Recursive questions ask the person to think about the original question.
    • Why are you asking this question?
    • Why do you think I am asking this?
 

Your Turn Choose a topic and practice Socratic questioning with a partner. One of you can play Socrates, asking questions from the list above, while the other answers. Then switch roles. Afterward, discuss whether this activity helped you come to a deeper understanding of your topic. Here is an example:

  • Clara: I don’t understand why some people think pizza is a junk food.
  • Sharissa: Why do you think pizza isn’t a junk food?
  • Clara: Well, pizza has cheese, tomato, grains, and vegetables. They’re healthy.
  • Sharissa: Are you assuming these ingredients are in healthy proportions?
  • Clara: That depends on how much the person eats.
  • Sharissa: How does pizza compare to other fast foods?
  • Clara: That’s my point. Compared to a burger or hot dog, pizza isn’t bad.
  • Sharissa: Could you provide an example of the healthiest and least healthy pizza?
 
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