The Socratic Irony: What It Is and How to Apply Its Blog
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What does it mean that you discover an item that is Socratic? Irony from Socratic can be defined as one of forms of irony that are employed in writing and other types of media. And once you understand its meaning and the best way to use it, you can apply it to your the writing process as well as in the real world of discussions.
Here's our short and sweet guide to Socratic irony. It also includes examples and a few best practices to use it when writing.
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- What is Socratic Irony?
- A good example Of Socratic Irony
- What's the best method to Make Use of Socratic Irony in Writing
What exactly is Socratic Irony?
Socratic irony can be described as a form of irony that makes use of the illusion of ignorance to steer an individual in a specific direction. Because it's a back-and-forth exchange, it is most often used in conversations between two or more characters. It's also a common interview technique, particularly in investigative journalism.
The absurdity of this approach is attributed to Socrates himself, whose Socratic method of instruction used false assertions of ignorance to reveal the weaknesses of his pupils their philosophical thought and lead them to the appropriate answer. This method proved so efficient that it's still an indispensable tool in both written and educational writing, despite the truth that Socrates never left the writing process unfinished.
Utilizing it strategically when writing can help illuminate the new plot and idea concepts using dialog as a way to discover and send both character and reader to the correct direction. As with any form of irony in the form of verbal - where a character speaks while saying something else--it's an effective and subtle method to convey your message, and reveal contradictions in different modes of thinking.
"Socratic Irony" Defined
Care for a shorter definition?
Socratic irony can be described as a situation when one side pretends that they're in doubt about the topic they're discussing in the hope of showing imperfections in what the other person is saying.
If used correctly, Socratic irony can be effective in guiding readers and characters to come to the correct conclusions. If the individual isn't capable of connecting the dots, readers are nevertheless in a position to see the limitations of their thinking and make more informed opinions regarding the reality.
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An example of Socratic Irony
If you're looking for examples, the best way to begin is an area you'd never expected: The Daily Show.
The Daily Showpresents actual news but usually through satirical and humorous interviews, that poke fun at people (willfully or unaware) who aren't understanding the subject in forming incorrect, hilarious conclusion. The interviews are full of Socratic comedy, with the interviewer is simply trying to show that they are taking his or her interviewee's opinions seriously while holding a dialogue according to the fake pretext.
The reason this application of this tool successful is the fact that viewers are engaged with the discussion. This helps to increase the humour in these discussions and highlights the fact that the person being interviewed is who they really is. The reality is that the person being interviewed rarely comes to terms with reality as these types of jokes are intended to entertain viewers not for educational reasons.
A more recent example is located in the work of the writer Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. In this novel classic, there are characters having opinions that are fundamentally incorrect specifically in regards to race. We, as readers, are aware they aren't true--and we know that Twain does not intend to prove that they're truthful--we will be able to understand the meaning to the characters' beliefs as well as their experiences in life that have been the catalyst of their views.
How to Use Socratic Irony in Writing
The most effective way to employ Socratic irony is during dialog. You can try it in situations where one character is attempting to get an alternate character to speak the truth, like in an interrogation or trial. It can be used similar to how Mark Twain employed it, but this can be a little more challenging in the sense that you must be able to provide solid and exact estimates of your target audience, and their beliefs and knowledge.
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