2,294 views
The three were closely connected. Plato recorded the words of Socrates, who philosophizes through debates with his peers; Aristotle was a pupil of Plato. Socrates did not claim to be teaching truth. He laid down the method for reaching it, which consisted fundamentally in questioning everything, accepting nothing at face value, and assuming that a mere opinion has no rational basis. Socrates thus encouraged man to think more. To reflect before responding. Socrates believed that if your mind was kept clear and sharp, you could arrive at the truth. You didn't have to go looking for it outside or do research. Truth exists; you have to educate your mind to grasp it. This is the famous Socratic method. It is what is intended to be used in university seminars, where the tutor or instructor is not there to issue laws but to help students think clearly and to conduct fruitful debate.