The Art of Questioning: The Pathway to Knowledge and Justice

 The Art of Questioning: The Pathway to Knowledge and Justice

Rahul Ramya

26.02.2025

India

Questions give birth to answers. Without them, knowledge remains undiscovered, passing unnoticed as if it never existed. Questioning reveals the presence of reality, and as cognitively driven beings, we seek explanations for every occurrence. If we do not ask questions, we fail to uncover explanations; without explanations, reality remains obscure. Reality is something that must be felt, but without an understanding of its mechanisms, even our own breath goes unfelt. Thus, the ability to question is fundamental to human cognition and existence.

The Centrality of Questioning in Human Cognition: The Socratic Method and the Upanishadic Tradition

The essence of human cognition lies in questioning. As the passage suggests, answers only exist when there is a question; otherwise, they remain unnoticed. This idea aligns with the Socratic method, which considers questioning as the pathway to knowledge, and the Upanishadic tradition, which emphasizes inquiry as the means to attain ultimate truth.

The Socratic Method: Knowledge Through Dialectical Inquiry

Socrates, through his dialectical method, demonstrated that true understanding is not about passive acceptance but about rigorous questioning. He engaged his interlocutors in dialogues that exposed inconsistencies in their beliefs, compelling them to refine their understanding. This method is not merely about arriving at answers but about unveiling deeper layers of reality through continuous interrogation. The famous Socratic paradox, “I know that I know nothing,” is not a statement of ignorance but an acknowledgment that knowledge is an ever-expanding pursuit fueled by relentless questioning.

Without questioning, as the passage states, we fail to uncover explanations, and without explanations, reality remains unfelt. This aligns perfectly with Socratic reasoning—when individuals stop questioning, they fall into complacency, accepting superficial truths that do not withstand scrutiny.

The Upanishadic Tradition: Inquiry as the Path to Truth

Parallel to Socratic thought, the Upanishads—philosophical texts of ancient India—place profound emphasis on the role of questioning in the pursuit of truth (satya). The Upanishads are structured as dialogues, much like Socratic debates, where seekers probe their teachers with questions about the self, existence, and the ultimate reality (Brahman). A prime example is the conversation between Nachiketa and Yama in the Katha Upanishad, where the young seeker persistently questions the god of death about the nature of the soul and the afterlife. This relentless pursuit of knowledge leads Nachiketa to a higher realization—an example of how questioning is indispensable to understanding reality.

Another crucial concept in the Upanishads is Neti Neti (“not this, not that”), a method of negation that seeks to understand the truth by eliminating falsehoods—an approach strikingly similar to Socratic elenchus, where answers are refined by discarding contradictions.

The Contemporary Relevance of Questioning

In the modern world, where information is abundant but often superficial, the need for questioning is greater than ever. Blind acceptance of ideas—whether in politics, science, or technology—leads to intellectual stagnation. The Socratic method and the Upanishadic tradition remind us that without asking why, we risk being deceived by half-truths and fabrications.

Education systems that prioritize rote learning over critical inquiry suppress cognitive development. True learning should encourage students to challenge assumptions, much like Socrates did in Athens and the sages did in ancient India. Whether in the realm of AI ethics, social justice, or governance, the spirit of questioning must remain central to human progress.

The Importance of the Socratic and Upanishadic Methods in Politics, Economics, and History

The Socratic method of questioning and the Upanishadic tradition of inquiry are not just intellectual exercises but essential tools for understanding and shaping politics, economics, and history. These disciplines are driven by narratives, ideologies, and power structures that often go unchallenged unless subjected to rigorous questioning. By fostering critical inquiry, these methods help expose hidden contradictions, challenge dogmas, and refine our understanding of governance, economic systems, and historical interpretations.

Politics: Questioning Power and Legitimacy

In politics, unquestioned authority leads to tyranny. The Socratic method, by encouraging people to critically examine the claims of rulers and political ideologies, serves as a safeguard against authoritarianism. Socrates himself was executed for challenging Athenian democracy, yet his legacy endures because democracy thrives on informed dissent and debate.

• Democratic Accountability: A functioning democracy depends on citizens who ask critical questions—about policies, governance, and justice. If people accept political rhetoric at face value, they become passive subjects rather than active participants. The Upanishadic tradition also supports this—its dialogical structure shows that truth emerges not from imposed doctrines but from thoughtful inquiry.

• Challenging Populism and Propaganda: Modern politics is filled with misinformation. Without a questioning mindset, people fall prey to populist narratives that appeal to emotions rather than facts. Socratic dialogue forces individuals to dissect political claims logically, exposing inconsistencies and manipulations.

• Policy-Making and Ethics: Good policies require rigorous debate. In the absence of a questioning culture, governments may pass flawed or oppressive laws. The Upanishadic spirit of inquiry reminds us that laws and policies should be tested against ethical and philosophical principles rather than accepted as absolute truths.

Economics: Scrutinizing Wealth, Inequality, and Development

Economics, at its core, is about choices—who gets what, when, and how. These choices are often justified using economic theories and models that appear objective but are influenced by ideology and power structures. The Socratic method and Upanishadic inquiry help deconstruct economic narratives and reveal their hidden assumptions.

• Interrogating Economic Inequality: Modern capitalism justifies income disparities through meritocratic claims. But Socratic questioning forces us to ask: Is wealth truly earned, or does it accumulate through historical privileges and systemic biases? The Upanishads, with their emphasis on self-exploration and ethical living, similarly challenge materialist notions of success.

• Development vs. Growth: GDP growth is often equated with economic progress, but does it guarantee well-being? The Socratic method would push us to differentiate between quantitative growth and qualitative development, much like Amartya Sen’s capability approach, which prioritizes human freedoms over economic expansion.

• Interrogating Market Myths: Free markets are often portrayed as natural and efficient, but questioning reveals that markets are shaped by regulations, monopolies, and historical inequalities. The Upanishadic tradition of Neti Neti—negating falsehoods to uncover deeper truths—helps dismantle economic myths and move towards policies that prioritize justice and fairness.

Conclusion

The Socratic method and the Upanishadic tradition of inquiry are not abstract philosophical tools but fundamental to understanding and shaping the world. As the passage suggests, without questioning, explanations remain unfelt, and reality remains obscure. This insight is deeply relevant to politics, economics, and history, where unquestioned assumptions lead to tyranny, inequality, and distorted narratives.

• In politics, questioning ensures accountability, resists authoritarianism, and upholds democratic values.

• In economics, it exposes myths about meritocracy and growth, fostering a deeper understanding of justice and development.

• In history, it challenges dominant narratives and recovers lost perspectives, offering a more nuanced understanding of the past.

Ultimately, questioning is not just an intellectual exercise—it is the foundation of human freedom. A society that ceases to question ceases to evolve. Whether through the Socratic dialogues of ancient Athens or the Upanishadic search for truth, the lesson is clear: progress is only possible when we dare to ask why.