Shane Parrish

Socratic questioning generally follows this process:

Clarifying your thinking and explaining the origins of your ideas. (Why do I think this? What exactly do I think?)

Challenging assumptions. (How do I know this is true? What if I thought the opposite?)

Looking for evidence. (How can I back this up? What are the sources?)

Considering alternative perspectives. (What might others think? How do I know I am correct?)

Examining consequences and implications. (What if I am wrong? What are the consequences if I am?)

Questioning the original questions. (Why did I think that? Was I correct? What conclusions can I draw from the reasoning process?)

If your “whys” result in a statement of falsifiable fact, you have hit a first principle.

«Science is much more than a body of knowledge. It is a way of thinking.»
Carl Sagan2