Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, had profound thoughts on various philosophical subjects,

including the concept of truth. He believed that the pursuit of truth and knowledge was the foundation
of a meaningful life. However , there are some key ideas from Socrates’ thoughts on truth.

Harlow (1971: 104) stated that, Socrates made a clear distinction between true knowledge and opinion.
Based upon his conviction about the immortality of the soul, Socrates defined true knowledge as
eternal, unchanging, and absolute compared to opinions which are temporal, changing, and relative.
Socrates was convinced that true knowledge and moral virtues are inscribed within the soul of every
individual.

Learning is, therefore, to cultivate the soul and make one’s implicit understanding of truth explicit.
Socrates engaged in dialogues, not to teach knowledge, but in order to awaken the soul of a partner, a
method comparable to certain practices.

Socrates believed that truth is an eternal and objective reality that exists independently of human
perception.

Socrates believed that absolute truth is attainable through rational inquiry and critical thinking. For
Socrates, knowledge and truth were intertwined. He argued that true knowledge could only be achieved
by understanding the essence of things or concepts.

Socrates believed in the existence of universal truths. He thought that certain truths, such as moral
principles or mathematical concepts, are universally valid and immutable.

Socrates approached the search for truth through a method called the Socratic Method. This involved
questioning and examining beliefs and ideas to uncover deeper truths.

Socrates believed that true wisdom began with self-knowledge. He emphasized the importance of
introspection and self-reflection in the pursuit of truth.

Socrates believed that reason was essential for discovering truth. He argued that one should rely on
logical thinking rather than mere opinions or emotions

Socrates believed that truth could only be reached by questioning existing beliefs and assumptions. He
encouraged individuals to challenge their own and others’ ideas in their search for truth.

Socrates believed that truth and justice were interconnected. He argued that justice can only be
achieved by acting in accordance with the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.

Socrates believed that a society built on falsehoods or ignorance would be corrupt and unjust. He
advocated for truth as the basis for a harmonious and just society. Socrates rejected the idea that truth
is subjective. He argued that there are objective truths that exist independently of personal opinions or
perceptions.

Socrates believed that engaging in dialogue and debate was crucial in the search for truth. Through
healthy discussion and questioning, individuals could uncover deeper insights.
Erikson (1982: 44) said that, Socrates believed that ultimate truth could not be found in the physical
world but rather through intellectual and philosophical exploration. Socrates believed that truth and
virtue were interconnected. He argued that living a virtuous life requires aligning one’s actions with the
truth.

Socrates believed that conflicting truths revealed a lack of understanding or incomplete knowledge. He
encouraged individuals to continually seek a deeper understanding to resolve such conflicts.

Socrates questioned beliefs that lacked sound evidence or rational justification. He advocated for logical
reasoning as the foundation of truth.

Socrates acknowledged the limitations of human knowledge. He believed that true wisdom is
understanding one’s own ignorance and continuously seeking knowledge.

Socrates believed that recognizing one’s own ignorance was the first step towards pursuing truth. A
humble acceptance of one’s lack of knowledge opens up the possibility of learning and discovering truth.

Socrates believed that sincerity and true introspection were essential in the search for truth. He
encouraged individuals to be honest with themselves and others when examining their beliefs.

Socrates believed that truth and happiness were intertwined. He argued that by understanding and
aligning oneself with the truth, individuals could find true happiness and fulfillment in life.

Socrates’ thoughts on truth continue to inspire and provoke philosophical discussions to this day. His
emphasis on critical thinking, logical reasoning, and the pursuit of knowledge serves as a timeless guide
in our quest for truth and understanding.

Philosophical theories and views are supported by one’s convictions or beliefs at a deeper level.
Socrates tried to awaken the soul of his partner in dialogue, rather than trying to give them knowledge,
so that they would be led to self-realization about their own beliefs and their validity.

This method is supported by Socrates’ theory of knowledge. From Socrates’ perspective, true knowledge
is inherently inscribed in the soul of every individual. Knowing the truth is therefore a matter of realizing
or bringing into explicit awareness what one implicitly understands without consciously knowing it. This
insight was developed by his student Plato as a theory of recollection. Plato formulated knowing the
truth as recollection. One can find similar insight in Augustine’s concepts of “inner truth” and the
“teacher within.”

Socrates described his method of dialogue as the art of midwifery. The midwife serves to help a
pregnant mother deliver her baby. The baby is born from the mother. The role of midwife is to assist the
mother so that she can smoothly and safely deliver the baby. Socrates understood his role as a helper to
lead a partner in dialogue to self-realize the truth within his or her soul. Truth exists within the partner
as a baby exists inside a mother’s womb. The Socratic Method consists in a series of inquiries paired
with replies through which a partner is led to the point where he or she sees the truth within.
Just as delivery is a painful and difficult process, seeing the truth is difficult and the partner in dialogue
sometimes goes through uncomfortable experiences. In the scenes of Socrates’ dialogues, Plato
describes the discomfort and anger of the partner in dialogue.

Wagner (2010: 19) onlined that, there are a number of obstacles that prevent one from attaining true
knowledge. The greatest obstacle is one’s conviction that he or she already has knowledge, even if he or
she does not. From Socrates’ perspective, people often mistakenly believe that they have knowledge,
when in fact they hold only opinions.

For Socrates, true knowledge is unchanging and eternal truth inscribed within one’s soul. Such truth
belongs to the eternal spiritual world or the world of immortals in Socrates’ terminology. Opinions, on
the other hand, are changeable and offer only temporal views, ideas, and mere beliefs.

Knowing the truth or possessing true knowledge is not the same thing as having some additional
information. Realization of the eternal nature of truth or true knowledge is a process of becoming aware
of the eternal nature of the human soul. This realization opens up one’s mind to a whole different world
of eternity. One is opened up to the spiritual dimension. It is a turn of consciousness from the materially
dominated world to the spiritual realm.

Freud (2000:87) explained that, question and answer method is quite important. Through question, an
attempt is made to ascertain and evaluate the knowledge of students in regard to the subject. This
method ensures participation. The teacher should ask question and the student should be encouraged
to ask questions.

Questions stimulate discussion and creative and critical thinking, as well as determine how students are
thinking. Questions help students retain material by putting into words otherwise unarticulated
thoughts.

Questioning in the classrooms develops interest and motivate students to become actively involved in
lessons. It helps students to develop critical thinking skills, to review learning and to stimulate students
to pursue knowledge on their own and ask their own questions.

While asking questions, the teacher keeps in mind the abilities, needs and interest of the learner. It
involves the learners’ participation towards the subject matter and in teaching acts. It helps in achieving
cognitive objectives and bringing knowledge at conscious level. Classroom verbal interaction is
encouraged. It is a useful strategy at all the levels of education

Questioning in teaching and learning not only encourages students to think critically; it allows teachers
to assess whether their students understand a particular concept. This requires the teacher to be able to
come up with the right questions in order to get students to provide responses that are both relevant
and of high standard.

Questioning techniques is important because it can stimulate learning, develop the potential of students
to think, drive to clear ideas, stir the imagination, and incentive to act. It is also one of the ways teachers
help students develop their knowledge more effectively.
Questioning can serve many purposes; when used effectively, it engages students in the learning process
and provides opportunities for students to ask questions themselves. Too often as teachers, we pose the
questions and wait for a response but forget to pause, allowing students to think, pounce to target the
question to learners based on ability and understanding, and then bounce the question to another
learner to enable more than one response and perspective to be given.

Questioning helps students learn because it forces them to think critically about the material being
taught. Students who are asked questions often respond with answers that are not memorized. They
must process information and come up with solutions themselves. When teachers ask questions, they're
actually asking for feedback. Feedback is valuable because it allows teachers to determine whether their
teaching methods are effective.

In conclusion, for Socrates everything was lived. Truth was something that was lived, not thought or
simply known . Each point of truth then led to the next point of truth. Life was a perpetual unravelling
to a terminal point of ultimate truth. However, question and answer method involves the learners'
participation in the subject matter and in teaching acts. It helps in achieving cognitive objectives and
bringing knowledge at a conscious level.

REFERENCES

Erikson, E.(1982) . The Lifecycle Completed: A Review. New York: Norton.

Freud, S . (2000). Three Essays on Theories of Sexuality. San Francisco : Basic Books.

Harlow, F. (1971). Learning to Love. London: Ballantine.

Wagner, L. (2010). Practical Intelligence in Everyday Life. New York: Cambridge University Press.