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"The Socratic irony," What It Is and How to Apply its Blog

Apr 21, 2022

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What does it mean that you come across an item that's Socratic? Irony from Socratic is one type of irony used in writing and other types of media. When you are aware of its significance and best approach to using it, you'll be able to apply it to your the writing process and also on the ground in discussions.

Here's our short and sweet tutorial on Socratic irony. The guide also provides examples as well as the best ways to use it when writing.

What exactly is Socratic Irony?

Socratic irony can be described as a form of irony that makes use of the appearance of ignorance to steer an individual towards a particular direction. As it's a back and forth exchange that is typically employed in discussions between two or more characters. It's also a common method of interviewing, especially when it comes to investigative journalism.

The absurdity of this approach can be attributed to Socrates himself. His Socratic method of teaching employed fake assertions of ignorance in order to show weaknesses in his students their thinking and guide to the correct answer. This method proved so efficient that it's still an indispensable device in both writing and academic writing, despite the truth that Socrates did not leave the writing process unfinished.

Utilizing it strategically when writing can help illuminate the plot's new ideas and concepts using dialog as a method to uncover and send both character and reader in the right direction. Like any other form of irony that is in the shape of verbal , where a character speaks while saying something else--it's an effective, subtle way to express your point, and expose contradictions within the different ways of thinking.

"Socratic Irony" Definition

Care for a shorter definition?

Socratic irony can be described as the situation where one side pretends that they're in doubt about the topic they're discussing in the hope to show a lack of understanding in the words of the person who is saying.

If used correctly, Socratic irony can be efficient in helping characters and readers to correct conclusion. If the individual isn't capable of connecting the dots the reader is still competent enough to recognize the limits of their reasoning and come to more educated conclusions on the facts.

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One example of Socratic Irony

If you're looking for an example, the ideal place to begin is to look at an area you'd never expected: The Daily Show.

The Daily Showpresents the actual news in hilarious and funny interviews which poke fun at individuals (willfully or unknowingly) that don't understand the issue and are unable to come up with a correct funny conclusions. The shows are full of Socratic comedy. The interviewer is simply trying to show that they take the opinions of their interviewee seriously, while presenting a conversation according to the fake motive.

The reason this application of this method is so successful is it's because viewers are actively engaged in the discussions. This enhances the humor in these discussions and demonstrates that the person who is being interviewed is who they really is. However, the person who is being interviewed seldom is able to accept realities since these humor is intended to amuse viewers and not be used for education purposes.

An older example can be located in the work of Mark Twain, the author of Huckleberry Finn. In this novel classic, there are characters having beliefs that are fundamentally wrong especially in regard to race. The readers know that they're not true. And we know that Twain does not intend to prove that they're truthful--we are able to comprehend what the character's their beliefs and their personal experiences which were the inspiration for their views.

What is the best way to use Socratic Irony in Writing

The best way to apply Socratic irony is in dialog. It is possible to use it for situations in which one character attempts to convince the other character to reveal the truth, for example, during an interrogation or trial. The technique can be utilized similarly to how Mark Twain employed it, but this can be somewhat more complicated in the sense that you need to provide solid and exact figures of your audience as well as their opinions and understanding.

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