Which methods did Socrates employ to challenge the prevailing thoughts of his time?

S ocr ates employed several methods to challenge the prev ail ing thoughts of his time , including : \n \n 1 . Question ing the authorities : S ocr ates was known for question ing the authorities and the accepted wisdom of his time . He would often challenge the views of prominent philosoph ers , polit icians , and other influ ential figures of his time . \n 2 . Using the method of elim ination : S ocr ates would often use the method of elim ination to arrive at the truth . He would ask a series of questions to eliminate false belief s and arrive at the correct answer . \n 3 . Enc ou rag ing self - ref lection : S ocr ates believed that true knowledge could only be obtained through self - ref lection . He would often encou rage his inter loc utors to reflect on their own belief s and assumptions , and to question whether they were truly just ified . \n 4 . Ex am ining the consequences of belief s : S ocr ates believed that the consequences of a belief were an important indicator of its truth . He would often ask his inter loc utors to consider the consequences of their belief s and whether they were consistent with their actions . \n 5 . Using par ado xes : S ocr ates was known for using par ado xes to challenge the prev ail ing thoughts of his time . He would often present a par ado x ical statement that seemed to contradict the accepted wisdom , and then use it to prov oke further reflection and inqu iry . \n \n Over all , S ocr ates ' methods were character ized by a commit ment to critical thinking , rational inqu iry , and the purs uit of truth . He believed that true knowledge could only be obtained through rig orous question ing and self - ref lection , and that the purs uit of wisdom was a lif el ong ende avor . </s>