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Anthony’s NotesA personal field guide
From the notebook

Socratic Questioning

Questioning as the whole strategy: you don’t assert the conclusion, you ask until they reach it — or until the position visibly can’t hold its own weight. Costs you nothing to be wrong, and the audience watches them do the work.

The six types (Paul’s taxonomy)

TypeAsk
ClarificationWhat do you mean by that? Can you give an example?
Probing assumptionsWhat are you taking for granted? What if the opposite were true?
Probing reasons & evidenceWhat’s that based on? How do you know? Is that the best evidence available?
Viewpoints & perspectivesWhat would someone who disagrees say? What’s the strongest counter?
Implications & consequencesIf that’s true, what follows? Are you willing to accept that?
Questions about the questionWhy does this question matter? Is it the right question to be asking?

Koukl’s “Columbo”

Three questions, in order: What do you mean by that? · How did you come to that conclusion? · Have you considered…? The first two are almost never wasted. See Tactics - Gregory Koukl.

Related → Critical Thinking · Internal Critique · Attacking An Argument > Questioning · Debate University Course > What Makes a Good Question

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