elenchusalone.^3 The most famous image is“the cave”inRepublic, which Socrates uses to describe
education (514a–517c).
There is also an ethical aspect to the Socratic approach which is less recognized, one intimately
tied to education. True education does not give students intelligence. Students’souls are not blank
slates, as they already possess intelligence (nous) and some vague awareness of truth, of which they
need to be reminded (anamnesis). Nor is Socratic education a matter of filling an empty soul with
skills and information. Rather, Socratic pedagogy is primarily a task of turning a soul (Republic,
518b–d) and guiding it along an ascending“pathway”that leads to the love (eros) and intellection of
higher forms of truth, justice, beauty, and goodness; it also cultivates excellence (arêteor“virtue”)
in the soul of the student as a consequence of seeing these higher forms.^4
This chapter will consider five student mentalities which collectively challenge Socratic ped-
agogy in today’s classroom:
1 Online Mentality: feeling the need to be connected to digital networks;
2 Job-Seeking Mentality: understanding university education solely as a path to employment;
3 Relativist Mentality: thinking that all values or truth claims are relative to the culture or
individual;
4 Safe Space Mentality: thinking that all students, particularly those from traditionally victi-
mized identities, must be kept“safe”in the classroom from ideas, words, or images that offend
and traumatize;
5 Troll Mentality: saying deliberately provocative or offensive things, often from a far-right
perspective, to elicit an emotional response and encourage confrontation.
These mentalities are not mutually exclusive: two or more of these may, and usually do, exist within
a single student. It is best to understand these mentalities as various directions in which students’
souls gravitate. Today’s Socratic professor must adjust her speech and pedagogic strategies to the
combination of mentalities she is engaging. What may work in one class or with one student may
not work in another class or with another student.
Each of the five mentalities, and their respective responses, requires more thorough scholarly
examination than will be provided by this chapter. What is offered here is sweeping and provisional.
There is also an overarching institutional issue that will not be addressed: the need of universities to
recognize the centrality of the liberal arts and the importance of the Socratic method in educating
fully democratic citizens. Furthermore, other institutional issues, such as expanding class sizes, the
growth of university administrations, and the decline of full-time tenured faculty, also need
addressing since they affect the class environment. But institutional change is not the focus of this
chapter. Rather, it considers what the professor can do herself to keep Socratic pedagogy alive in her
classes. This is not for the faint-hearted; not only does creating a Socratic classroom require
constant energy and diligence, it comes with considerable risks of offending certain students or
putting the professor at odds with her institution.
Mentalities and Socratic Responses
The Online Mentality and Use of Technology in the Classroom
All students today possess online mentalities. They feel compelled to be“plugged-in”to their
computers, phones, and tablets. This mentality has emerged out of a society saturated with digital
technology. These electronic devices are no longer a luxury but a necessity for students, and they
cause distraction once they are brought into the classroom. Many students will be on at least one
device during class, connecting with others or accessing content unrelated to the course material.
Students often pride themselves on being multitaskers.^5 However, studies have demonstrated that
The Socratic Method in Today’s University 139