The Unexamined Life
By definition, to examine means “to look as something closely and carefully in order to learn more about it” (Merriam Webster, n.d.). This would imply that something unexamined is not thoroughly studied or analyzed, resulting in a lack of knowledge on a particular topic. Socrates’s statement in The Apology that the unexamined life is not worth living is testament to his belief that a lack of examination of knowledge is equivalent to a lack of life. Plato uses the example of Socrates’ trial, perpetuated by his thirst for knowledge, to exemplify this topic. Through Socrates’ consistent questioning of Meletus in his own defense, his willingness to die for his pursuit of knowledge, and the parallel of Socrates’ life to that
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Socrates states that men should never concern themselves with living or dying, but whether what they are doing in life is right or wrong. Socrates spent his life coercing answers out of society in pursuit of truth, with the belief that discovering truth was the correct way to live. Socrates did not burden himself with the idea of death, because he believed he was doing the right thing. Furthermore, in The Apology, Socrates expresses that men should remain where they are placed by their commander, and should think about the duty at hand rather than death, even when clenched firmly in danger’s grasp. Socrates’ was consistently victimized for his tendency to ask pestering questions, and he was eventually executed for it. However, Socrates continued to question others until the very end because he saw it as his duty. When Socrates’ stated that the unexamined life was not worth living, he truly meant he would rather live a life in constant pursuit of knowledge while facing persecution and the awareness of his imminent death than to be an ignorant fool and live a lengthy, peaceful …show more content…
Jesus, like Socrates, spent his life questioning authority figures, but rather with inquires of faith than of Socrates’ search for logic. In addition, Jesus and Socrates were both sentenced to death for interrogating those in their respective societies and therefore, corrupting the youth. According to 1 Peter 2:22, “[Jesus] committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth” (NIV, n.d.). If Jesus constantly questioned people and never committed a sin, this would make his way of thinking and his actions correct. This would confirm that an examined life is, in fact, something worth dying for. Since Socrates’ way of behavior was aligned similarly with Jesus, this would make his philosophy of mental stimulation and interrogation without fault. Socrates’ refusal to live an unexamined life and his desire to inspect the lives of others is a Biblical concept, also mirrored in the teachings of
Many judges and civilians questioned the intentions of Socrates. They believed he was corrupting their youth and making them go against the beliefs they had been taught by the law, their state and their parents. The intent of questioning and cross-examination, which Socrates often did, was not to make people feel inferior but to make them understand the shallowness of their knowledge. Being skilled in one area, Socrates believed, does not make you wise in all tings. You must be willing to explore and desire a deeper understanding of all things. Socrates wanted Meletus to understand that he was not trying to corrupt the youth or make them deny the gods of the state, but rather, “believe in divine and spiritual agencies” that encourage virtue and doing good to all men. Socrates believed that one should not fear death and punishment if they are doing what they believe to be good, and a person cannot make themselves better by accusing, punishing, or killing a person who questions their knowledge and beliefs. They only way to improve ourselves is by taking what our accusers say about us and digging into the meaning of it. By doing this we can search for understanding and try to make ourselves better. As Socrates says, “the life which is unexamined is not worth living.”
Socrates put one’s quest for wisdom and the instruction of others above everything else in life. A simple man both in the way he talked and the wealth he owned, he believed that simplicity in whatever one did was the best way of acquiring knowledge and passing it unto others. He is famous for saying that “the unexplained life is not worth living.” He endeavored therefore to break down the arguments of those who talked with a flowery language and boasted of being experts in given subjects (Rhees 30). His aim was to show that the person making a claim on wisdom and knowledge was in fact a confused one whose clarity about a given subject was far from what they claimed. Socrates, in all his simplicity never advanced any theories of his own but rather aimed at bringing out the worst in his interlocutors.
He set out to “go to all those who had any reputation for knowledge to examine its meaning. And by the dog, men of Athens – for I must tell you the truth – I experienced something like this: In my investigation in the service of the god I found that those who had the highest reputation were nearly the most deficient, while those who were thought to be inferior were more knowledgeable”(22a). This conclusion of his investigation helps his appeal to the audience men who are less reputable than others, but provokes those of highest reputation such at Meletus, Anytus and Lycon. Socrates is aware that speaking out in this form makes him “unpopular”, but he continues to say it regardless. He is convinced that he is not going to hold back his thoughts and speak the truth to the jury. The issue with these statements is that ultimately the people of greater power and more authority are the people that he is insulting by calling them less wise that the rest of the citizens. Since he acknowledges that what he is doing makes him unpopular then, he knows he in aggravating those who are listening to him but he continues to do regardless. This is worse because now his audience knows it is intentional and he is willingly choosing to behave in this manner. This is clearly unethical because if Socrates is aware that he is aggravating those around him then why would he
Socrates attempts to make other people reason well and therefore be virtuous by performing their human function; I believe that this action inwardly reflects Socrates’s own virtue. For example, if a professor can effectively teach mathematics to his students, then he most likely holds knowledge of the subject within himself. In a similar way, Socrates instills virtue in other people, which shows that he himself is a virtuous being. Although some people criticize him, evidence of his positive impact is reinforced by the approval and support of his friends in the Apology. While promoting virtue when alive, Socrates wishes to continue to encourage virtue even after death. For example, at the onset of his death, Socrates asks the jurors to ensure that his sons are given grief if they care for anything else more than virtue (Plato and Grube 44). While Socrates could have been thinking about himself or other things at that moment, he is thinking of how to guide people towards living virtuously. Both his actions while living and his intentions after death reveal that Socrates wished to aid people in living virtuous lives, which highlight his own state of
A. Under trial for corrupting youth and not worshiping the Gods in Athens, Socrates takes an attitude that many might interpret as pompous during his trial. Rather than apologise, as Plato’s dialogue title Apology suggests, Socrates explains why he is right and those who accused him are mistaken. He speaks in a plain manner, as if the jury is just another of his followers. Socrates first cites the profit at Delphi for why he behaves in ways that lead to him being under scrutiny of the law. He explains that his friend, Chaerephon, went to ask the oracle if anyone is wiser than Socrates and the oracle responded no (21a). Socrates then explains his interpretation of this being that he is wise in knowing that he does not know certain things, where
According to Pierre Hadot, “Thus philosophy was a way of life, both in its exercise and effort to achieve wisdom, and its goal, wisdom itself. For real wisdom does not merely cause us to know: it makes us “be” in a different way” ( Pierre 265) This explanation of a philosophical way of life is in all ways the definition of Socrates’ life. Socrates made his way through his entire life living in this way, seeking out wisdom, seeking out answers and never once got in trouble with the court until the age of seventy years old. He believed that by telling people about ignorance and wisdom, that he was only doing so for the good of the people. Socrates even goes as far as saying, “I am that Gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading and reproaching you”(Plato 9). Socrates believes that he was sent from God to show people a different way of life, a life of questioning and reason to which he should teach to all people. When asked if he was ashamed of a course of life of which would likely bring him to an untimely end Socrates says, “you are mistaken: a man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance of living or dying; he ought only to consider whether in doing anything he is doing right or wrong” (Plato 7).
In his defense, Socrates claims over and again that he is innocent and is not at all wise, “…for I know that I have no wisdom, small or great.” Throughout the rest of his oration he seems to act the opposite as if he is better than every man, and later he even claims that, “At any rate, the world has decided that Socrates is in some way superior to other men.” This seems to be his greatest mistake, claiming to be greater than even the jury.
Socrates was wise men, who question everything, he was found to be the wise man in Athens by the oracle. Although he was consider of being the wises man alive in those days, Socrates never consider himself wise, therefore he question everything in order to learned more. Socrates lived a poor life, he used to go to the markets and preach in Athens he never harm anyone, or disobey any of the laws in Athens, yet he was found guilty of all charges and sentence to die.
Socrates focuses his philosophy on life entirely on the discovery of knowledge and wisdom, ethics, and the soul. He was obsessed with seeking of knowledge and wisdom: he believed that they are the key to a good life. He went on to state that, “an unexamined life, is a life not worth living.” According to him, knowledge and wisdom correlate to ethical actions, ultimately resulting in a life of happiness, by
I totally agree that Socrates found it important to research about life’s morality and not just think the same way others do. That is a way of proving the knowledge of men. Ones sitting quiet in the corner usually have more knowledge than others that talk so much about what they know. Many men with a high position in life do not always have the most knowledge.
One of Socrates’ favorite students was Plato. Cross agrees, saying, “Plato (437-347) was Socrates’ prized student.” The thing Plato did was magnificent, he was always questioning Socrates in his teaching because he knew that’s what was expected of him. If we fast forward to modern day teachers, or professors, they are always assumed to be correct and have the highest level of knowledge and wisdom (all the while teaching about Socrates.) This is completely obscene because their teaching method is to not have students question their ideas, but that their ideas are solid, correct, and unwavering. Socrates would highly disagree with this idea. The amazing philosopher so many people refer to, Plato and Socrates both are advocates of students questioning what they learn so they do not become daft robots. Yet in modern day society, many are taught to accept what their professors and teachers say as the cold hard truth that shan’t be
Socrates is correct when he says the “the unexamined life is not worth living” In order to discuss why Socrates is correct, I would like to discuss these various points which consist of: the significance as well as the underlying meaning of his quote “the unexamined life is not worth living”, the difference between an unexamined life and an examined life, specific examples, the importance of a person living an examined life and lastly, whether or not I’m living an examined life.
He is saying that if we fear death or to live our life a certain way then we won’t accomplish anything. If we wake up everyday, and we are scared of not getting into our dream job, then we are not going to even try to do what it takes to get that job. Socrates states” Wherever a man has taken up a position because he considers it best, or has been posted there by his commander, that is where I believe he should remain, steadfast in danger, taking no account all of death or of anything else rather than dishonor.” Socrates is trying to show if we examine that what we think something is the best option in life then we need to take that course of action, even in cases where we risk dying or getting hurt it doesn’t matter. We should be living a life without fear of dying because if we didn’t we wouldn’t be living our life to the fullest. When we live our life to the fullest that means that we will have no regrets about the things we do while we are live. Socrates comes to accept this when he tells that truth in court instead of getting sympathy from the jurors. Socrates states “I have no regrets about defending myself as I did; I should far present a defence and die, than live by defending myself in that other fashion”. Even if we are scared about our future, we shouldn’t stop living our
Socrates was an insightful philosopher who had an opinion on all the basic fundamental questions. He had very strong beliefs that he willed others into believing through questioning and proving ignorance in others beliefs. He has particular views on every fundamental question and particular views on how people should live their lives. He says God has spoken to him about philosophy and says that it is his destiny and it is his calling in life. Through philosophy he searches for answers to the fundamental questions and gains wisdom and knowledge. The fundamental question of condition is the question of what, if anything, has gone wrong with the world? The question of solution is what can fix the problem? Then there is Death which asks what happens
Socrates was a wise man who realized that life was not something that could be easily understood. He knew that questioning life would lead to a stronger conception of life and reality. When he stated that “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Plato 45), he truly meant that without questioning life, one would not be truly living. Actions would have no understanding of being right or wrong. For Socrates, a man who believed that life should be based on what was right, there would be no greater wrongdoing.