The UK facilitators promote and support what is often called ‘neo-Socratic Dialogue’ in the tradition of German philosophers Leonard Nelson (1882-1927) and Gustav Heckmann (1898-1996). It is a method by which a group works together with a facilitator to find an answer to a well-formed philosophical question (such as: ‘What is justice?’, ‘On what occasions is it right to lie’ or ‘What is my responsibility for the future?’). The process involves collecting concrete examples relevant to the question from participants, choosing one example to work on, analysing and exploring the chosen example, articulating its core statement and then moving to consider more general principles in answer to the question. It can be very hard to answer an abstract question easily, which is why we start by examining a concrete example, before moving on to consider general principles. Participants usually find the process of exploring ideas and lines of reasoning together in a group is challenging and exciting, encouraging skills in listening, patience and collaborative working.
The Socratic method encourages reflection and independent, critical thinking. On one level, a Socratic Dialogue is a collaborative attempt to find the answer to a fundamental question. It is a form of co-operative philosophical enquiry. On another level it is entirely individual, rooted in concrete personal experience, and contributing to the formation of one’s own personal philosophy.
It is accessible to all, and no prior philosophical training is needed to participate.
The Socratic Form
A Socratic dialogue can last for many hours, or days. First we explore the question. Then through finding our personal experience we explore our understanding of the underlying presuppositions.
Choosing the Example
Critical to independent and critical thinking in Socratic Dialogue practice is to draw on our own concrete experience. To take part in this exploration, you are invited to provide a concrete example, an example from your own life which illustrates the question. Here are some simple guidelines for finding an example:
Lived – an experience lived by you.
Simple – the simpler the example the better, the fewer the avenues the example goes down the more focused the central avenue will be.
Interesting / Fruitful – an interesting example, challenging, fruitful for us to explore.
Relevant and Closed – relevant to the question, and the issues that it raises should be closed, so as not to be emotionally disturbing or distracting.
Examples of SD questions
Examples of SD questions Am I entitled to give my own interest priority over that of the community?
Are there unselfish acts?
In what circumstances did I say no, and why?
What are the limits of my responsibility for others?
What is trust?
What does it mean to be courageous?
What are the limits of tolerance?
Do I always have to be honest?
How do I verify that a statement is correct?
What is freedom?
What is a justified action?
Socratic Dialogue outreach DO WE NEED THIS (FROM THE OLD WEB SITE)
Over the last 40 years we have
- Run regular Socratic Dialogues and workshops in London and around the UK
- Trained Socratic Dialogue facilitators
- Arranged Socratic seminars for students in secondary schools, teachers of mathematics, education managers and other groups from a variety of occupational backgrounds.
- – Introduced educationists to a Socratic approach to learning and teaching. With the introduction of citizenship into the UK school curriculum, and a growing interest in philosophy, SFCP is focusing more on acquainting teachers with the Socratic method as a valuable tool for these developing subjects.
- – Sponsored Scholarly Research at doctoral and post-doctoral levels.
- – Trained new Socratic facilitators. Weekend dialogues may be arranged, facilitated by trainee facilitators.
- – Established Occasional Working Papers in Ethics and Critical Philosophy and published books.
- – Developed European networks to extend interest in critical philosophy and Socratic Dialogue among professionals across a range of disciplines, and to encourage the fostering of ethical practice in everyday life.
- – Managed a mailing list of people interested in the activities of SFCP. A news bulletin is sent out from time to time and publications like the Occasional Working Papers mentioned above are listed and available on request.
- – Expanded its international co-operation with its sister organisations the PPA (Philosophisch-Politische Akademie) and the GSP (Gesellschaft für Sokratisches Philosophieren) (see below) to organise a number of International Conferences and International Socratic Dialogues.
The Socratic Dialogue method was popularised by Leonard Nelson in his book Die sokratische Methode (The Socratic Method), and a short history of the movement is here.
Links with International Socratic Groups
Philosophical-Political Academy (Philosophisch-Politische Akademie – PPA)
PPA is dedicated to the promotion of critical philosophy in the tradition of Immanuel Kant, Jakob Friedrich Fries and Leonard Nelson, as well as to the application of ethics, political philosophy and philosophy of law to social and political life, as espoused by Nelson and his followers. In his writings, Nelson was mainly concerned with epistemology, ethics, pedagogy and politics, and in all three fields tried to put his theories into practice. He was an ethical socialist, he adapted Socrates` method of searching for truth, developing the neo-Socratic method for group work, finally he founded the PPA to further develop and promote his philosophical ideas. Founded in 1922, PPA was, of course, banned by the Nazis but was re-established in 1949.
The Academy organises conferences on political and philosophical subjects, sponsors the publication of books, initiates a scientific prize competition and, last but not least, supports Socratic seminars.
Society of Socratic Facilitators (Gesellschaft für Sokratisches Philosophieren – GSP)
GSP’s purpose is to develop the practice of Socratic Dialogue, to contribute to theoretical tradition of Leonard Nelson and Gustav Heckmann (1898-1996), and to train Socratic facilitators. An increasing number of courses have been organised by GSP in co-operation with PPA and SFCP, held both in England and in Germany. GSP also contributes to the training of teachers concerned with the subject of “practical philosophy” in the school curriculum, by acquainting them with the theory and practice of Socratic Dialogue.
Socratic Dialogue UK 