Good morning Netizens...

 

November 04, 2012

Word of the Day

• maieutic

• 

• \may-YOO-tik\

• DEFINITION

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adjective

: relating to or resembling the Socratic method of eliciting new ideas from another

• EXAMPLES

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"I am grateful to him for his maieutic inquiry about my own views, which had not crystallized." — From an article by William F. Buckley, Jr., in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 27, 1973

"The international peacebuilding practitioner can adopt elements of a maieutic or Socratic approach to pedagogy, in which dialogue is at the core of a mutual learning process and there is no assumption that the person speaking is necessarily wiser than those who are being engaged." — From an article by Nathan C. Funk in International Journal, Spring 2012

• DID YOU KNOW?

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"Maieutic" comes from "maieutikos," the Greek word for "of midwifery." In one of Plato's "Dialogues," Socrates applies "maieutikos" to his method of bringing forth new ideas by reasoning and dialogue; he thought the technique analogous to those a midwife uses in delivering a baby (Socrates’ mother was a midwife). A teacher who uses maieutic methods can be thought of as an intellectual midwife who assists students in bringing forth ideas and conceptions previously latent in their minds.

From Merriam-Webster Online at www.Merriam-Webster.com.

 

Dave

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