Test First Design Is Like The Socratic Method

Socrates never took a position. He claimed to know nothing at all except that he knew nothing. Socrates' method of philosophical inquiry was to question people on the positions they asserted and to work them through questions into a contradiction, thus proving to them that their original assertion was wrong.

He referred to this method of cross-examination or questioning as "elenchus". Philosophical inquiry by this method was not intended to invoke an eristic contest, but rather to co-operatively search for a truth. This "truth-searching" is referred to as dialectic.

Socratic Method (dialectic)

Wonder - Pose a question ("What is X?")
Hypothesis - Give a definition ("X is Y")
Elenchus or cross-examination (if the elenchus is compelling, define a new hypothesis)
Accept the Hypothesis as provisionally true if no plausible elenchus was given

TestFirstDesign is similar.

First we wonder and pose a question by writing a testcase. A testcase can be considered a question to your application: "Can you do perform this function??", "Do you output the correct values??", etc.

Then, we go write what we think should make our testcase pass; we hypothesize.

Next, we execute our test. If the hypothesis did not answer the question because of a counter-example (hence, the testcase fails), we go and redefine our hypothesis.

If it passes, we accept our testcase as a truth.

-- JavidJamae

The Socratic method is about knowing your conclusion and guiding others to your conclusion. MrSocrates was not trying to teach, he was trying to convince.

Socrates claimed to know nothing except for that he knew nothing. Socrates was trying to come up with a truth, not convince. This is one of the main distinguishing factors between the Socrates and the Sophists. So, I have to say that I completely disagree. The Socratic method is *all* about teaching and learning... that is why it has become one of the most successful teaching techniques in modern education.

I guess I could have been more Socratic in my reply, but oh well... :)

-- JavidJamae

Have you ever read Socrates? Can you point to anywhere where he learned rather than just herded other people to his foregone conclusion? -- AnonymousDonor

That would be hard, given that Socrates himself didn't write anything.

So what? "Socrates" in this context refers to the Socrates who Plato wrote about. And I agree with Anonymous Donor: Socrates didn't practise Socratic Method. (You could also say "So what?" to that!) JasonGrossman

I'm looking forward for the page-originator to expound on his thesis, to help the rest of us, here are some background-information links on the SocraticMethod:

http://www.soci.niu.edu/~phildept/Dye/method.html - synopsis
http://www.str.org/free/studies/socratic.htm - lengthier definition/explanation
http://www.garlikov.com/Soc_Meth.html - Can 3rd grader's be taught binary arithmetic just by asking them questions?
http://www.livewiremedia.com/socmethod.html - "how to"

-- GeoffSobering

The 3rd-grader experiemnt transcript is a very nice demonstration of 1) how the "Socratic Method" consists mainly of leading people by the nose to a predetermined position, and 2) how easy it is to disguise a "tell" as an "ask"

Now, class, could one explain a religion by the Socratic method? No? Why is that?

See also: WhatIsScience for a related discussion (?)

CategoryTesting