The Greek philosopher known for his Socratic method is Socrates himself. Born around 470 BCE in Athens, Socrates is regarded as one of the founders of Western philosophy. His approach involved asking probing questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas, a technique known as dialectical questioning. Instead of providing answers outright, he encouraged his students to think deeply and reach conclusions through dialogue. Due to his methods, Socrates focused on ethics and the human condition, emphasizing the importance of self-knowledge. His ideas were primarily documented by his students, notably Plato, as Socrates did not write any philosophical texts himself.