What are Plato's Socratic dialogues?

Socratic dialogues are a genre of literary prose developed in Ancient Greece around the fourth century BC, featuring discussions on moral and philosophical problems. The earliest surviving examples are preserved in the works of Plato and Xenophon, typically featuring Socrates as the protagonist. These texts illustrate the application of the Socratic method, where characters use questioning and cross-examination to test commonly held beliefs.

What we know

• Socratic dialogues are a genre of literary prose developed in Ancient Greece at the turn of the fourth century BC. [1, 2]
• The earliest Socratic dialogues are preserved in the works of Plato and Xenophon and all involve Socrates as the protagonist. [2]
• The dialogues present discussions of moral and philosophical problems that illustrate the application of the Socratic method. [2]
• While Socrates is often the main participant, his presence is not strictly essential to the literary genre. [2]

Still open

• There are scholarly debates regarding the historical reliability of Plato's Apology of Socrates as an account of his actual trial.

Where to go next

• how it workedHow does the Socratic method work?
• whoWho was Plato?
• a case in pointWhat happens in Plato's Apology?
• the bigger pictureWhat are the core features of Ancient Greek literature?
• compared withHow did Xenophon's dialogues compare to Plato's?
• an unexpected connectionHow does midwifing relate to philosophical debate?Socrates describes his questioning technique as a form of midwifery used to help interlocutors give birth to their own understanding.

Sources

• [1]Socratic dialogue (Wikidata Q3026054) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Socratic dialogue · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Socratic method · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Plato · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Apology (Plato) · CC BY-SA 4.0