time, the dialogs demonstrate the value of reason and dialog, out of which the criticism under
consideration itself emerges.
Even when an interlocutor’s viewpoint unfolds within the strictures of discourse and reasoning,
the specific nature of the rules of logic through which Socratic examination takes place derives from
the interlocutors themselves. As discussed in the previous section, if an interlocutor treats a given
text as a source of unquestionable authority, the Socratic teacher works within this framework to
show why the interlocutor’s interpretation, or perhaps the text itself, may be contradictory. As
Meckstroth puts it,
The authority by which the interlocutor finds himself convicted of incoherence, then, is always
in the final instance his own, never that of Socrates or of some impersonal set of logical rules
that might confront him as an alien law.^24Interestingly, one study in which researchers used an almost literal adaptation of Socrates’
questioning of Meno’s slave to teach native Argentinians the same mathematical lesson found that
“the Socratic dialogue is built on a strong intuition of human knowledge and reasoning which
persists in more than 24 centuries after its conception, providing one of the most striking dem-
onstrations of universality across time and cultures.”^25 Though the Argentinian students failed to
arrive at the same understanding as Meno’s slave, the vast majority responded exactly as Meno’s
slave did–reproducing his correct responses and errors. This suggests that even if people from
different cultures begin with different premises, there may be some universality to the reasoning
process. Whatever the case may be, by working within the interlocutors’framework of thinking, the
Socratic method to a significant degree escapes the normative imperialism critique.
It is also to the great credit of the Socratic method that it allows for questioning of the very norms
it inherently propagates. Evidence of this appears no more clearly than in Plato’sRepublic. Though,
as we have seen, the Socratic method is associated with critical thinking, self-generated knowledge,
and learning for the sake of learning, in theRepublicthe method leads to the apparent advocacy of
precisely the opposite principles. After all, scholars have often criticized Plato for allegedly pro-
moting a totalitarian regime in which all but the“gold-souled”are taught to accept the dictates and
“noble lies”perpetrated by the philosopher-kings and not to engage in independent thinking.
Whereas many challenge this interpretation, it must be admitted that Socratic questioning enables
the construction of such a city in speech, forcing readers to approach Socratic education itself from a
more questioning position. Is there some danger in exposing citizens to this form of education?
What sacrifices or trade-offs might it involve? These are some of the questions the dialog raises,
whatever indications one thinks Plato gives of how we should resolve them.
Finally, it is worthwhile to recognize that Western students themselves often struggle with the
Socratic method. Though they may be more accustomed to participating in class and engaging in
critical thinking, for many the experience of subjecting their dearest ideas to questioning never
becomes easier. Many others begin with a certain level of intimidation until they become com-
fortable with their instructor and classmates, even with prior exposure to the Socratic method.
Moreover, certain aspects of Western education and culture incline some Western students not to
understand the value of the Socratic method. Though widely used, the Socratic method is by far
not the most prevalent model of education in the Western school system. Some may therefore
enter the classroom equally as accustomed to lecture-style learning as their Confucian peers. In
the age of the Internet and instantaneous answers, Western students often display their own
resistance to Socratic education, preferring a more Confucian model of education in which the
teacher imparts knowledge to them. Hence, while teachers should be aware of how differences in
cultural background may affect the performance of students in classrooms where the Socratic
method is used, it may be safer to assume that all students will struggle with the method and that
few will enter with an appreciation of it. It is then incumbent on the Socratic teacher to provide the
132 Rebecca LeMoine