This tool will help improve your critical thinking - Erick Wilberding

Translator: Pui Yu Chan Reviewer: Thomas Tam

Socrates, one of the founding fathers of Western philosophical thought,

西方哲學之父 Socrates

was on trial.

正接受審判。

Many Athenians believed he was a dangerous enemy of the state,

好多雅典人都相信佢會危害國家，

accusing the philosopher of corrupting the youth

佢哋指控大哲學家荼毒青年

and refusing to recognize their gods.

同蔑視神明。

However, Socrates wasn’t feared for claiming to have all the answers,

但係，雅典人之咁驚 Socrates ， 唔係佢話知道一切答案，

but rather, for asking too many questions.

反而係因為佢問得太多問題。

While he loathed formal lectures,

雖然 Socrates 厭惡正式嘅課堂，

the philosopher frequently engaged friends and strangers

但佢總會不厭其煩 同身邊朋友同陌生人

in lengthy conversations about morality and society.

就著道德同社會議題 滔滔不絕。

These discussions weren’t debates, nor would Socrates offer explicit advice.

呢啲算唔上係辯論， 而 Socrates 亦唔會提供實質嘅建議。

In fact, the philosopher often claimed to know nothing at all,

事實上，佢成日都聲稱 自己一無所知，

responding to his partner's answers only with further questions.

回應對方嘅問題， 就係更多問題。

But through this process, Socrates probed their logic,

但喺過程度，Socrates 梳理咗 佢哋嘅邏輯思路，

revealing its flaws and helping both parties reach a more robust understanding.

發現當中嘅謬誤， 並協助雙方互相理解。

These insightful questions made Socrates beloved by his followers.

呢啲噉有見地嘅問題， 令 Socrates 深受追隨者愛戴。

Two of his students, Plato and Xenophon, were so inspired

有兩個學生，Plato 同 Xenophon，深受佢嘅啟發，

that they replicated their mentor’s process in fictional dialogues.

後來甚至將老師嘅思路 重現喺虛構對話中。

These invented exchanges provide perfect examples

呢啲虛構嘅對話 為後世提供咗最佳嘅範例，

of what would come to be known as the Socratic Method.

成為後人所稱嘅 「蘇格拉底反詰法」。

In one of these fabricated dialogues,

喺其中一段對話度，

Socrates is conversing with a young man named Euthydemus,

Socrates 同一個叫 Euthydemus 嘅年輕人交談，

who is confident that he understands the nature of justice and injustice.

呢位年輕人深信自己洞悉 公義同不公義嘅本質。

Socrates probes the student’s values by asking him to label actions

Socrates 想深入了解 呢位年輕人嘅價值觀，

such as lying and theft as just or unjust.

所以就請佢歸類講大話同偷嘢等行為 係公義定唔公義。

Euthydemus confidently categorizes them as injustices,

Euthydemus 好自信咁 將佢哋歸類為「唔公義」。

but this only prompts another question:

但問題就嚟喇：

is it just for a general to deceive or pillage a hostile army?

如果將軍欺騙或者掠奪敵軍， 咁又算唔算唔公義呢？

Euthydemus revises his assertion.

於是，Euthydemus 修正咗，

He claims that these actions are just when done to enemies,

佢話，如果對象係敵人， 啲行為就係公義嘅；

and unjust when done to friends.

但如果對象係朋友， 咁就係唔公義。

But Socrates isn’t finished.

Socrates 又繼續追問落去。

He asks the young man to consider a commander lying to his troops

佢問，如果將軍 對自己嘅士兵講大話，

藉此提高士氣， 咁又算唔算公義呢？

to boost their morale.

Before long, Euthydemus is despondent.

冇幾耐，Euthydemus 就俾佢搞到謝哂。

It seems that every answer leads to further problems,

佢俾嘅每個答案， 似乎都會有後續嘅問題，

and perhaps he’s not quite sure what constitutes justice after all.

歸根究底，佢似乎 都未係好清楚公義嘅本質係咩。

In employing this question-oriented approach,

Socrates 常採用呢種 問題導向方法，

Socrates described himself as a midwife,

佢形容自己係個接生婆，

whose inquiries assist others in giving birth to their ideas.

透過發問，幫人「生」出想法。

His method of questioning draws out an individual’s unexamined assumptions,

佢嘅發問方式，都能夠搵出 啲人冇審視過嘅前設，

and then challenges those biases.

再針對呢啲偏見，作出挑戰。

It doesn't always provide definitive answers,

雖然未必可以提供確切嘅答案，

but the method helps clarify the questions

但就可以協助釐清問題，

and eliminate contradictory or circular logic.

並排除咗矛盾或者循環嘅邏輯。

And by following a line of inquiry where it logically leads,

而且，隨著邏輯推理 引發出連串嘅提問，

both the question asker and answerer can end up in unexpected places.

發問者同回答者最後都獲得 超出預期嘅結論。

This technique isn’t limited by the conversation’s content,

呢種技巧唔受對話內容限制，

making it incredibly useful in numerous fields.

喺唔同範疇都好有用。

During the Renaissance, the method was used to teach clinical medicine.

喺文藝復興時期， 呢種技巧就被用嚟教授臨床醫學。

Students proposed their rationale for different diagnoses,

學生就佢哋嘅診斷提出理據，

while a doctor questioned their assumptions and moderated discussion.

而醫生就會質疑佢哋嘅假設， 並主持討論。

In this model, the method could even produce conclusive results.

喺呢個模型入面，啲技巧 甚至使眾人達至確實嘅結論。

This same approach was later used in other sciences,

後來，相同方法 亦被應用喺其他科學領域，

such as astronomy, botany, and mathematics.

例如天文學、植物學、同數學。

Following the Protestant Reformation,

喺新教改革之後，

it was adapted to tackle abstract questions of faith.

呢種技巧，又被用喺 解答信仰中嘅抽象問題，

In the 19th century, the method became an essential part

喺十九世紀，再成為咗 美圖法律教育中不可或缺嘅部份。

of American legal education.

Professors explored students’ understanding of judicial reasoning

教授透過意想不到 假設嘅情景去挑戰學生，

by challenging them with unforeseen hypothetical situations.

考查佢哋對法律推理嘅理解。

This approach is still used today by the Supreme Court

時至今日，呢種技巧 仍然應用喺美國最高法院，

to imagine the unintended impacts of passing a law.

來設想通過一條法例後 可能招致嘅後果。

The Socratic Method can be adapted to teach almost any topic

「蘇格拉底反詰法」幾乎適用喺 所有倚靠批判性思維嘅學科，

that relies on critical reasoning,

but its success depends on the teacher employing it.

但到底成唔成功， 就要睇老師嘅功力。

An effective Socratic educator must be well versed in their subject.

老師要善用蘇格拉底法， 首先要對嗰科嘅知識暸如指掌。

Rather than bullying their students or showing off their superior intellect,

老師唔係到要串爆學生， 又或者炫耀自己，

they should be modest, genuinely curious, and affirming of every contribution.

而係要謙遜地求真， 肯定每個學生嘅貢獻。

In this regard, Socrates himself

喺呢點上，Socrates 本人

may not have been the most subtle Socratic teacher.

都未必係最善用 蘇格拉底法嘅老師呢﹗

Historians believe he was deeply critical of Athens’ particular brand of democracy,

歷史學家相信，Socrates 極度質疑雅典獨有嘅民主政體，

and known to pass those concerns onto his followers.

並將佢嘅懷疑傳承俾追隨者。

These subversive beliefs were distorted in public forums

呢啲顛覆性嘅諗法， 喺公眾論壇度遭到扭曲，

and thought to have inspired two of his pupils to treasonous ends.

更將兩名學生 帶上叛國不歸路。

It was likely for these ideas Socrates was brought to trial,

Socrates 好有可能 都因為呢啲想法而受審，

and eventually, sentenced to death.

而最終判處死刑。

But even on his deathbed, artists depict a serene philosopher—

但即使大哲學家臨死嗰陣， 畫家筆下嘅佢，仍然表現安祥，

ever curious to explore the ultimate question.

對終極嘅問題 一如既往、抱持好奇心。