Students of Stoicism

🏛️ Students of Stoicism
The Socratic Method, Session III — Chapters 10 & 11
We continue our journey through The Socratic Method – A Practitioner’s Handbook by Ward Farnsworth with Session III, where we shift from technique to tone, exploring how we engage with others in philosophical inquiry.
Chapters 10 and 11 challenge us not just to reason clearly, but to converse with discipline, humility, and care. These chapters focus on two essential ideas:

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What We’ll Be Exploring:
Chapter 10 – Socratic Rules for Dialogue
Socrates didn’t argue—he inquired. This chapter explores the principles that guided his conversations:

• Clarify terms before arguing.
• Ask before you assert.
• Stay calm, curious, and constructive.
• Seek truth, not victory.

These rules form the ethos of philosophical dialogue—and require conscious effort to practice.

Chapter 11 – Socratic Ignorance
This is not weakness—it’s the starting point of insight. Socratic ignorance means:

• “I don’t know, but I’m here to understand.”
• A posture of humility that opens rather than defends.
• The elimination of false certainty so that real clarity can emerge.

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In-Class Exercise: “Defend the False: A Test of Dialogue and Doubt”
Each participant will bring (or choose) a belief they do not personally hold, something they find flawed, unconvincing, or even frustrating. Their task will be to sincerely defend it, as if it were their own.
The rest of the group will question them using only the tools from Chapters 10 and 11:

• Follow the Socratic rules of dialogue
• Stay rooted in Socratic ignorance—do not assume they are wrong
• Ask with care, not sarcasm

This exercise is about sharpening inquiry, not defeating positions. We will conclude with a reflective group discussion on what we discovered through the method.

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Required Reading
Please read Chapters 1 through 11 before the meetup to ensure you’re prepared to engage with the material and participate in the exercise.