Socratic Questioning

Overview

The Socratic method uses disciplined questioning to examine ideas, uncover assumptions, and develop deeper understanding. Instead of providing answers, it guides the thinker to discover insights through their own reasoning — making conclusions more durable and personally meaningful.

Framework

IRON LAW: More Than 3 Consecutive Questions Without Summary Produces
Confusion, Not Insight

Agents applying Socratic questioning default to an unbounded chain of
questions. After ~3 questions, the thinker loses the thread — they can't
hold the question hierarchy in working memory. Pause every 2-3 questions
to SUMMARIZE what the thinker has revealed so far ("So your position is X
because Y, but you're unsure about Z — is that right?"). Then resume.
Without this checkpoint, the session feels like an interrogation, not a
guided inquiry.