Why educate in questions and answers?

My mind immediately springs to what is commonly known as the "Socratic Method". This form of teaching relies on questions to stimulate critical thinking in a nonconfrontational way. The one posing the question and the one answering it are cooperating to find truth rather than attempting to find it through an adversarial exchange. Through asking questions, a teacher is allowing the students to interrogate their own ideas and to formulate a response. This is a much more active and engaged process than simply expecting students to passively receive information. However, I do feel this Socratic method of teaching can be done well but it can also be done poorly. If the teacher is asking questions but already feels convinced that he or she knows the full, entire, correct answer then the questioning process often comes across as condescension. I think a question should always be asked with genuine humility and an openness to be surprised and learn something new. Question and answer based learning can be wonderful though, if done with a true openness to new ideas by teacher and students alike.