Dr. Sanjeev Veer Singh Priyadarshi
Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, DAV PG College, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
E-mail: sansuraj781@gmail.com
Issue: Vol. 2 No. 3 (September 2026) – Anubodhan
Received: 20 September 2026 / Accepted: 27 September 2026 / Published online: 30 September 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n3.2026.127
Abstract
The Socratic Method occupies a foundational position in the history of Western philosophy and continues to influence contemporary approaches to philosophical inquiry, education, and critical thinking. Associated primarily with Socrates as represented in the dialogues of Plato, the method is characterized by persistent questioning, examination of assumptions, logical clarification, and the recognition of one’s own intellectual limitations. Rather than presenting philosophy as the passive acquisition of established doctrines, the Socratic Method understands philosophical inquiry as an active and dialogical process. This paper examines the Socratic Method as a distinctive mode of philosophical inquiry, focusing particularly on the relationship between dialogue, questioning, and the search for truth. It argues that Socratic questioning is not merely a pedagogical technique but a philosophical practice aimed at transforming the individual’s relationship to knowledge. Through the elenchus, or method of examination and refutation, Socrates exposes contradictions within commonly held beliefs and encourages interlocutors to reconsider their assumptions. His profession of ignorance further complicates the conventional distinction between teacher and student, positioning philosophical knowledge as an ongoing search rather than a possession. The paper also considers the importance of dialogue in the Socratic conception of philosophy, the role of aporia or puzzlement, and the ethical implications of the examined life. Finally, it evaluates the continuing relevance and limitations of the Socratic Method in contemporary intellectual and educational contexts. The paper concludes that Socratic inquiry remains significant because it connects knowledge with self-examination, rational dialogue, intellectual humility, and the continuous pursuit of truth.
Keywords: Socratic method; Socrates; philosophical dialogue; elenchus; questioning; truth; knowledge; aporia; critical thinking; examined life.
How to cite: Priyadarshi, S. V. S. (2026). The Socratic Method as a Mode of Philosophical Inquiry: Dialogue, Questioning, and the Search for Truth. Anubodhan, 2(3), 318–325. https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n3.2026.127