American University Law Review Volume 50 | Issue 3 Article 1 2001 Love and the Socratic Method Peter M. Cicchino American University Washington College of Law Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/aulr Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Cicchino, Peter M. "Love and the Socratic Method." American University Law Review 50, no.3 (2001): 533-550. This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in American University Law Review by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Love and the Socratic Method This essay is available in American University Law Review: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/aulr/vol50/iss3/1 CICCHINOSOCRATICJCI.DOC 7/10/2001 11:19 AM ESSAYS LOVE AND THE SOCRATIC METHOD ∗ PETER M. CICCHINO Early in the Nichomachean Ethics Aristotle offers a critical bit of advice: Our discussion will be adequate if it has as much clarity as the subject matter admits; for precision is not to be sought for alike in all discussions, any more than in all the products of the crafts.1 It may seem odd to begin a reflection on the Socratic method and its use in the classroom with a quote from Aristotle, arguably Plato’s most renowned critic, but I think Aristotle’s admonition is very apt as an introductory word of caution for all those who think about and discuss issues of pedagogy.