Socratic Dialogue

I. Socratic Questioning
A. Raises basic issues
B. Probes beneath the surface of things
C. Pursues problematic areas of thought
D. Helps students discover the structure of their own thought
E. Helps students develop sensitivity to clarity, accuracy, relevance, and depth
F. Helps students arrive at judgments through their own reasoning
G. Helps students analyze thinking–its purpose, assumptions, questions, point of view, information,
inferences, concepts and implications.
II. Elements of Thought
A. Point of view
1.1 Frame of reference
1.2 Perspective
1.3 Orientation
1.4 World view
B. Purpose
1.1 goal
1.2 objective
1.3 Function
C. Question at Issue
1.1 problem
1.2 issue
D. Information
1.1 data
1.2 facts
1.3 evidence
1.4 observations
1.5 experiences
1.6 reasons
E. Interpretation and Inference
1.1 conclusions
1.2 solutions
 F. Concepts
1.1 theories
1.2 definitions
1.3 laws
1.4 principles
1.5 models
G. Assumptions
1.1 presuppositions
1.2 axioms
1.3 taking for granted
H. Implications and Consequences
1.1 something which follows logically
1.2 effects
II. Important facts about thinking
A. All thinking has a history in the lives of particular persons.
B. All thinking depends upon a substructure of reasons, evidence, and assumptions.
C. All thinking leads us in some direction or other
D. All thinking stands in relation to other possible ways to think
III. Four ways to help students come to terms with their thought:
A. Reflect on how they have come to think the way they do on a given subject
B. Reflect on how they support or might support their thinking.
C. Reflect on what “follows from” their thinking, what implications and consequences their thinking
generates.
D. Reflect on what “follows from” their thinking, what implications and consequences their thinking
generates.
E. Reflect on how it is that people with points of view different from theirs might raise legitimate objections
or propose alternative ways to think that they should take into account.