Socrates: The Method of Questioning and Philosophy as a Way of Life

The Man Who Knew Nothing

Socrates (469–399 BCE) did not write a single line. Everything we know about him has come down to us through Plato, Xenophon, and Aristophanes—each of whom depicted him differently. The paradox of Socrates is that this most influential philosopher of the West operated exclusively through conversation, through live presence, and through provocation. The Delphic oracle proclaimed him the wisest of men—and Socrates interpreted this to mean: he is wise because he knows that he knows nothing. Others do not know, but think they do.

This is not a pose of humility, but an epistemological position with far-reaching consequences. If a person does not realize the limits of their knowledge, they make decisions with false confidence. The politician is convinced that he knows what justice is—but upon examination, it turns out he cannot explain what justice is. The poet believes that he understands what he writes about—but analysis reveals that he acts under inspiration, not understanding. The craftsman knows how to do his job, but extrapolates this skill to making judgments about things in which he is not competent.

The Socratic Method: Maieutics and Elenchus

Socrates compared his philosophical method to his mother's profession as a midwife: he does not give birth to thoughts himself—he helps the interlocutor to “give birth” to what he already carries inside himself. This is maieutics—spiritual midwifery.

In practice, the method looked like this: Socrates would start with a simple question (“What is courage?”, “What is piety?”, “What is knowledge?”). The interlocutor would give an answer that seemed obvious to him. Socrates, through a series of clarifying questions—elenchus (refutation, testing)—would show that this answer either contradicts other beliefs of the interlocutor, or is too narrow, or contains hidden assumptions. The interlocutor would find himself in a state of aporia—an impasse, bewilderment. It was exactly this state that Socrates considered the beginning of genuine philosophizing.

In the dialogue “Meno”, Socrates, by means of questions, leads an uneducated slave to geometrical knowledge—not by telling, but only by asking. This illustrates the theory of anamnesis: knowledge is recollection, the soul knew everything before birth and has forgotten. Learning is not the transmission of information from outside, but the awakening of what is already within.

“Take Care of Your Soul”

If Socrates had a single main commandment, it would be: care for your soul, not for your body, money, or reputation. Socratic ethics were intellectualist in the strict sense: he asserted that no one does evil voluntarily. A wicked act is the result of ignorance. If a person truly knows what is good, he will act well. “Virtue is knowledge” (arete = episteme).

This seems counterintuitive. We know about the harm of smoking and still smoke. But Socrates would probably say: then we do not truly know, but only have information. True knowledge is knowledge that changes behavior. It is closer to wisdom than to a set of facts.

Death as a Philosophical Act

In 399 BCE, Socrates was condemned by the Athenian court for “corrupting the youth” and “introducing new gods”. In reality—for challenging the foundations, associating with oligarchs, and offending influential people. He was offered the chance to escape—Crito specially arranged a prison break. Socrates refused. In the dialogue “Crito” he explains: to obey the laws of the state is his duty, even if this particular decision is unjust. In the dialogue “Phaedo” he awaits death calmly: if the soul is immortal—death is not frightening; if not—it will feel nothing.

The death of Socrates became the model of a philosophical dying, a model later adopted by the Stoics, Christians, and existentialists. A person dying for his convictions, not leaving the city, not renouncing—this is the first Western martyr to the idea.

Socrates Today: Application in Management

The Socratic method is used in business education, law schools, and coaching. Its essence is not to give ready-made answers, but to ask questions that help the interlocutor himself to come to a solution. A good consultant or leader is not the one who says “do this,” but the one who asks: “Why do you think this is happening? What have you already tried? What is preventing you?” This approach respects the autonomy of the other person and creates more sustainable solutions—since the person has “given birth” to them himself.

Question for reflection: Recall the last important decision you made. Test it “by the Socratic method”: can you precisely define the key concepts it is based on? Does it contain any hidden contradictions?