Workshop with Michael Spicher

This three-hour workshop explores how an ancient practice of questioning can help us think more clearly and act more responsibly in a culture saturated with instant reactions and endless commentary.

Part 1: The History of the Socratic Method introduces Socrates as philosophy’s famous gadfly and midwife. Through accessible examples from Plato’s dialogues, participants will see how Socrates used conversation to expose assumptions, test ideas, and move from opinion toward understanding. These classical examples will be contrasted with familiar patterns of online behaviour, highlighting the difference between reactive commenting and genuine dialogue.

Part 2: The Parts of the Socratic Method examines the nuts and bolts of how the method works. We will break the practice into its key elements: disciplined question-and-answer exchange, testing for consistency, identifying the principles behind claims, using concrete examples to sharpen reasoning, and maintaining  Socratic humility about one’s own expertise.

Part 3: Contemporary Applications explores how the Socratic method can improve judgment in real-world settings, including politics, business, and everyday life. We will consider how better dialogue can lead to better decisions, from civic disagreement to organizational problem-solving and even the way we engage emerging tools like AI.

Throughout the workshop, lectures will be balanced with guided discussion and practical exercises. Participants will not only learn about the Socratic method but also practice using it to ask better questions, examine assumptions, and cultivate habits of judgment that extend beyond the classroom.

Michael Spicher is a philosopher, aesthetics advisor, and founder of Aesthetics Research Lab. He currently writes and teaches at Massachusetts College of Art and Design and Boston Architectural College. His work centers aesthetics and  philosophy as a formative force in human life, culture, and decision-making.