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The Sarcratic Method; question everything. It helped inspire the Scientific Method, by demanding evidence and testing hypotheses for logical consistency, Socratic inquiry helped inspire the modern scientific method. It encourages people to question established dogma and verify claims through reason. Socrates primarily questioned fundamental moral concepts, human virtues, and everyday assumptions that people claimed to understand without truly examining them. Rather than focusing on the physical sciences or the natural world like earlier philosophers, he shifted philosophy toward ethics and how people should live their lives. When using the Socratic method (also known as elenchus), he typically started his conversations by asking people to define broad, abstract ideas they used every day. Core Virtues and Moral Concepts Socrates believed that if you do not know the exact definition of a virtue, you cannot truly practice it. In his early dialogues (recorded by his student Plato), he frequently questioned the nature of: • Justice: In The Republic, he questions whether justice is simply telling the truth and paying debts, or helping friends and harming enemies. • Piety (Holiness): In Euthyphro, he asks a religious expert to define what makes an action pious or pleasing to the gods. • Courage: In Laches, he questions Athenian generals about what true bravery is and whether it is just a form of endurance or wisdom. • Temperance (Self-Control): In Charmides, he explores what it means to have moderation, self-knowledge, and quietness of spirit. • Friendship and Love: In Lysis, he questions young men about what draws people together and what makes someone a true friend. Wisdom and Expertise Socrates also targeted the illusions of knowledge held by prominent figures in Athens, such as politicians, poets, and craftsmen. • What makes someone wise: After the Oracle at Delphi declared no one was wiser than Socrates, he questioned self-proclaimed experts to see if they actually possessed true wisdom. He found they often confused technical skill in one area with universal wisdom about life. • Whether virtue can be taught: In dialogues like Meno and Protagoras, he questioned whether goodness and leadership are innate traits, learned through practice, or taught by professional educators (the Sophists).