Humans are born with astonishing curiosity.
But somewhere along the way, we are told to stop asking questions.
THREAD: Using the Socratic Method to reclaim your curiosity, stimulate critical thinking, and establish first principles:
But somewhere along the way, we are told to stop asking questions.
THREAD: Using the Socratic Method to reclaim your curiosity, stimulate critical thinking, and establish first principles:
The human mind is naturally wired for critical thinking.
Children are born with an innate curiosity - a desire to understand the world and all of its complexities.
They constantly ask “Why?”
But they aren’t doing it to be annoying (contrary to what many parents might think!).
Children are born with an innate curiosity - a desire to understand the world and all of its complexities.
They constantly ask “Why?”
But they aren’t doing it to be annoying (contrary to what many parents might think!).
Children ask questions in order to develop a deeper understanding their existence and surroundings.
They ask questions in an effort to dive deeper, think critically, and establish first principles.
And it works!
Children are the original first principles thinkers.
They ask questions in an effort to dive deeper, think critically, and establish first principles.
And it works!
Children are the original first principles thinkers.
Unfortunately, as we get older, we are typically told to stop asking questions.
Responses like “Because I said so” or “Because that’s how we’ve always done it” pile up.
Our critical thinking muscles atrophy.
We begin to rely on base assumptions that we have been told are true.
Responses like “Because I said so” or “Because that’s how we’ve always done it” pile up.
Our critical thinking muscles atrophy.
We begin to rely on base assumptions that we have been told are true.
This can be fine. It’s quick and easy to do so.
But it can also lead to unimaginative, linear solutions to problems that closely resemble what has been done before.
So how do we fight back and rebuild our critical thinking muscles?
Enter our powerful tool: the Socratic Method.
But it can also lead to unimaginative, linear solutions to problems that closely resemble what has been done before.
So how do we fight back and rebuild our critical thinking muscles?
Enter our powerful tool: the Socratic Method.
The Socratic Method is a process of asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and expose and vet underlying assumptions and logic.
It is both cooperative and argumentative.
Its aim is to create an environment of productive discomfort for its participants.
It is both cooperative and argumentative.
Its aim is to create an environment of productive discomfort for its participants.
The Socratic Method is named after the Greek philosopher, Socrates, who developed it as an alternative method of debate and teaching.
Socrates disagreed with the style of the “sophists” of the era - teachers who used rhetoric and gravitas to entertain and persuade students.
Socrates disagreed with the style of the “sophists” of the era - teachers who used rhetoric and gravitas to entertain and persuade students.
Believing that sophists were promoting a self-centered style, he began promoting the Socratic Method as an alternative.
The basic structure involved progressive questioning to expose flawed logic, eliminate hypotheses, and sharpen thinking.
Let’s cover how it works in practice:
The basic structure involved progressive questioning to expose flawed logic, eliminate hypotheses, and sharpen thinking.
Let’s cover how it works in practice:
The Socratic Method is dynamic, but typically follows a general structure:
Step 1: Start with open-ended questions.
Step 2: Propose ideas based on these questions.
Step 3: Probe these ideas with progressive questioning.
Step 4: Repeat 2/3 until the best ideas are developed.
Step 1: Start with open-ended questions.
Step 2: Propose ideas based on these questions.
Step 3: Probe these ideas with progressive questioning.
Step 4: Repeat 2/3 until the best ideas are developed.
Imagine your team has encountered a challenge that requires an imaginative solution.
Start at the surface.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
We often waste time and energy trying to solve the "wrong" problem.
Identify the “right” problem before you try to solve it!
Start at the surface.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
We often waste time and energy trying to solve the "wrong" problem.
Identify the “right” problem before you try to solve it!
Now for the fun: Dive deeper.
Sketch out your current thinking on the problem, including the origins of that thinking.
Open the floor for targeted questioning:
Why do you think this? Is the thinking too vague? What is it based upon?
Challenge each other (collaboratively!).
Sketch out your current thinking on the problem, including the origins of that thinking.
Open the floor for targeted questioning:
Why do you think this? Is the thinking too vague? What is it based upon?
Challenge each other (collaboratively!).
Challenge the assumptions underlying the original thinking.
Why do you believe this to be true? How do you know it’s true? How would you know if you were wrong?
Identify the source of beliefs on a problem.
Be ruthless in evaluating their integrity and validity.
Why do you believe this to be true? How do you know it’s true? How would you know if you were wrong?
Identify the source of beliefs on a problem.
Be ruthless in evaluating their integrity and validity.
Evaluate the evidence used to support the thinking.
What concrete evidence do I have? How credible is it? What “hidden evidence” may exist?
Understand of the consequences of being wrong.
Can this be quickly fixed? How costly is this mistake?
Always understand the stakes.
What concrete evidence do I have? How credible is it? What “hidden evidence” may exist?
Understand of the consequences of being wrong.
Can this be quickly fixed? How costly is this mistake?
Always understand the stakes.
Evaluate the potential alternatives.
What alternative beliefs or viewpoints might exist? Why might they be superior?
Why do others believe them to be true? What do they know that I don’t?
Evaluate them on their merits and ask these same fundamental questions about them.
What alternative beliefs or viewpoints might exist? Why might they be superior?
Why do others believe them to be true? What do they know that I don’t?
Evaluate them on their merits and ask these same fundamental questions about them.
After zooming in, zoom out.
What was my original thinking? Was it correct? If not, where did I err?
What conclusions can I draw from the process about systemic errors in my thinking?
So we have seen how it works. Let’s cover some practical applications of the Socratic Method:
What was my original thinking? Was it correct? If not, where did I err?
What conclusions can I draw from the process about systemic errors in my thinking?
So we have seen how it works. Let’s cover some practical applications of the Socratic Method:
The Socratic Method in Investing
The best investors have long been proponents of the Socratic Method.
Every proposal is questioned and dissected from a variety of angles (at least in theory).
It makes it difficult for an investment based on flimsy assumptions to pass through.
The best investors have long been proponents of the Socratic Method.
Every proposal is questioned and dissected from a variety of angles (at least in theory).
It makes it difficult for an investment based on flimsy assumptions to pass through.
Note: This doesn’t mean every investment made ends up being a successful one!
It simply ensures that investments are grounded in clear, evidence-backed assumptions (even if changing circumstances later disprove those assumptions).
Surface-level thinking is quickly rooted out.
It simply ensures that investments are grounded in clear, evidence-backed assumptions (even if changing circumstances later disprove those assumptions).
Surface-level thinking is quickly rooted out.
The Socratic Method in Startups
Elon Musk is an advocate of the method:
“One particular thing that I learned at Queen’s was how to work collaboratively with smart people and make use of the Socratic method to achieve commonality of purpose.”
Tesla & SpaceX both rely on it.
Elon Musk is an advocate of the method:
“One particular thing that I learned at Queen’s was how to work collaboratively with smart people and make use of the Socratic method to achieve commonality of purpose.”
Tesla & SpaceX both rely on it.
The Socratic Method can be powerful unlock when teams are working on complex problems that require imaginative solutions.
Question base assumptions, ask “why?” incessantly, and expose flawed logic to uncover better hypotheses.
SpaceX is one such example - there are many more.
Question base assumptions, ask “why?” incessantly, and expose flawed logic to uncover better hypotheses.
SpaceX is one such example - there are many more.
The Socratic Method in Education
The Socratic Method is a mainstay of legal and medical education curriculums, but has been forgotten in most other fields.
Most programs favor lecturing.
Few encourage targeted, rigorous questioning or environments of productive discomfort.
The Socratic Method is a mainstay of legal and medical education curriculums, but has been forgotten in most other fields.
Most programs favor lecturing.
Few encourage targeted, rigorous questioning or environments of productive discomfort.
This is one reason why our critical thinking muscles wither as we get older.
We aren’t training them!
Note: Change is coming. Programs like @synthesischool are specifically designed to create productive discomfort and encourage questioning in children.
synthesis.is
We aren’t training them!
Note: Change is coming. Programs like @synthesischool are specifically designed to create productive discomfort and encourage questioning in children.
synthesis.is
The Socratic Method is simple, yet as these varied examples have shown, it is dynamic, powerful, and useful across a range of situations.
Enjoy this post? Follow me @SahilBloom for more writing on mental models and business.
And remember: never stop asking “Why?”
Enjoy this post? Follow me @SahilBloom for more writing on mental models and business.
And remember: never stop asking “Why?”
I will be turning this thread into a longer-form piece for my newsletter, where I will explore and cover these topics in greater depth.
The piece will be released in the coming days.
Subscribe below so you don’t miss it! sahilbloom.substack.com
The piece will be released in the coming days.
Subscribe below so you don’t miss it! sahilbloom.substack.com
And if you are a job seeker looking to leverage curiosity and critical thinking to advance your career, check out my curated job board, where I share unique roles at high-growth companies in finance and tech.
New roles every single week! pallet.xyz/list/sahil/jobs
New roles every single week! pallet.xyz/list/sahil/jobs
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
