Socratic irony

American  

[suh-krat-ik ahy-ruh-nee, ahyer-, soh-] / səˈkræt ɪk ˈaɪ rə ni, ˈaɪər-, soʊ- /

noun

1. pretended ignorance in discussion.

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Socratic irony British  

noun

1. philosophy a means by which the pretended ignorance of a skilful questioner leads the person answering to expose his own ignorance

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Etymology

Origin of Socratic irony

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Or maybe it was a different problem: In classic Socratic irony, there has to be somebody who doesn’t get the joke, and I had a sneaking suspicion it might be me.

From Salon • Feb. 11, 2017

The Socrates of the Philebus is devoid of any touch of Socratic irony, though here, as in the Phaedrus, he twice attributes the flow of his ideas to a sudden inspiration.

From Philebus by Jowett, Benjamin

That is, Carlyle uses irony in the common English sense; the Socratic irony, the irony of the "Modest Proposal."

From A History of English Romanticism in the Nineteenth Century by Beers, Henry A. (Henry Augustin)

The statements of the Memorabilia respecting the trial and death of Socrates agree generally with Plato; but they have lost the flavour of Socratic irony in the narrative of Xenophon.

From Apology by Jowett, Benjamin

Many of these, with a sort of Socratic irony, gave themselves ludicrous names, or names expressive of ignorance.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg