Socratic Midwifery and the Epistemology of Questioning: A Framework for Critical Inquiry in Social Science Research
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Abstract
Imagine research not as a proclamation, but as a living conversation—where every question opens new paths, and certainty is replaced by curiosity. The concept of the philosophical midwife, rooted in Socrates’ dialectical art, calls us to this kind of inquiry: privileging questions over answers and humility over dogma. While thinkers have long pored over Socratic discourse, its power as a modern research tool is still emerging. This article invites you to step into the shoes of Socrates, re-examining how we structure research through the very questions we ask. By exploring Socratic maieutics—the art of nurturing knowledge through dialogue—this study builds a six-dimensional framework that brings rigor and self-awareness to qualitative research. Questions about clarification, assumption, evidence, perspective, implication, and meta-cognition challenge us to see familiar topics with new eyes. By weaving together voices from classical texts and contemporary minds, the article suggests that Socratic questioning is more than precision; it's a practice of liberation. What if we treated inquiry as an open journey, not a quest for a single truth? This synthesis of philosophy and methodology seeks to spark a spirit of Socratic inquiry in all who are committed to truth, engagement, and intellectual virtue.
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บทความที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์เป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของวารสาร มจร ปรัชญาปริทรรศน์
ข้อความในบทความที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์ในวารสาร ถือเป็นความรับผิดชอบของผู้เขียนบทความ และข้อคิดเห็นนั้นไม่ถือว่าเป็นทัศนะและความรับผิดชอบของกองบรรณาธิการวารสาร มจร ปรัชญาปริทรรศน์
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