The Use and Abuse of Socrates in Present Day Teaching

Creator

Anthony G. Rud Jr.

Files

Publisher

Arizona State University, University of South Florida

Publication Date

November 1997

Abstract

The Greek philosopher Socrates is used as an example of a master teacher in in many contexts, from elementary school discussions, to college philosophy classes, to law school. I examine a number of current uses of Socratic teaching, and expose inconsistencies among them. I analyze critically recent practitioners of Socratic teaching, such as Mortimer Adler, and I consider how the celebrated primary teacher Vivian Gussin Paley enacts the Socratic legacy in a novel way. I argue that the misuse, or abuse, of the Socratic legacy occurs chiefly when his teaching is interpreted narrowly as a pedagogical technique devoid of context and irony.

Extent

21

Volume

5

Issue

20

Language

English

Media Type

Journals (Periodicals)

Format

Digital Only

Identifier

E11-00089

Creative Commons

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Rud, Anthony G. Jr., "The Use and Abuse of Socrates in Present Day Teaching" (1997). Education Policy Analysis Archives (EPAA). 322.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/usf_EPAA/322