We also see the philosophical spirit in the Meno. This illustration of a lifestyle is what Socrates would describe an unexamined life. The Meno, on the surface, might appear to be a dialogue solely devoted to the question of 'virtue' and whether it can be taught; however, this is being shortsighted. The answer is clear. Fyodor Dostoevsky defines examined lifelike human’s resistance from evil and misery. In the Gorgias we delve deeper into what constitutes the examined life. What is my one conflict? and find homework help for other Apology questions at eNotes An examined life involves spending time with ourselves and others talking about these concepts to try and get a better understanding of them, and how we should apply them in our lives. Socrates conceives examined life as questioning to look at someone’s series of views and how everything individuals who are interviewed fit together. In Apology, Plato quotes Socrates as saying, "The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being. 1 Socrates and the Examined Life PHL 306 and WCV 303 [42195 & 47705] The University of Texas at Austin Spring Semester: 20 Jan – 07 May 2009 TTh 9.30-11.00a, Garrison Hall 1.134 "The unexamined life is not worth living." For Fyodor Dostoyevsky the examined life meant the resilience of the human soul … The examined life is so much better than an unexamined life that Socrates is willing to die for that value. The claim is that only in striving to come to know ourselves and to understand ourselves do our lives have any meaning or value. In the Apology, Socrates says: I am pushed to narrow the meaning of ‘the examined life’. According to Plato’s telling of it, Socrates said the famous sentence, “the unexamined life is not worth living” during his trial in 399 B.C. An examined life is worth living According to Socrates, “the unexamined life is not worth living,” life is all about decision-making, journeys and discoveries. He thinks that one can have a conversation to collaborate with other minds. And obviously, it would not easy for one alone to answer or explain what the meaning of life is. A life lived unexamined, without thinking and reasoning, is one similar to those lived by beasts whose basic functions are limited to eating, sleeping, working and procreating. A life lived unexamined, without thinking and reasoning, is one similar to those lived by beasts whose basic functions are limited to eating, sleeping, working and procreating. Socrates believed that living a life where you live under the rules of others, in a continuous routine without examining what you actually want out of it is not worth living. The paper focuses on explaining Socrates’ philosophy regarding unexamined life and my view of philosophy and its importance. The jury charged Socrates for introducing new gods and questioning the credibility of the existing gods. 444-357 BC, Biographer of Socrates and his students as a youth. Plato. The Socrates quote is a bit difficult to understand directly. Do we care more for wealth and reputation that the state of our souls? It is fair to say that the examined life is a life immersed in conversation, both with others and with oneself. So it wasn’t a very long trial. By accepting his punishment and willingly drinking the hemlock Socrates, in essence, was showing that he chose death over an unexamined life. THIS AS A PAGE: To become fully human means to use our highly developed faculty of thought to raise our existence above that of mere beasts. Observations from the Apology of Socrates, Meno, and Gorgias. An examined life, to Socrates, always means more than earthly outcomes. CONTACT ME: An examined life, to Socrates, always means more than earthly outcomes. That life would be one that would involve a lot of suffering, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all that's missing is living an "examined life" in Socrates's sense. For Socrates, an examined life was about spending as much time as possible engaging in life’s most important subjects, like those of justice, virtue, piety, truth, among others. For, according to Socrates, the examined life is a life whereby one is in constant, coherent dialogue both with others and with oneself concerning the meaning and truth of terms like 'virtue' and the 'good' in order to find their respective values. So what exactly does Socrates mean? Unwilling to live that type of life, Socrates killed himself. Philosophy Notice that Socrates doesn’t just come right out and say it. But most importantly for our discussion, Socrates couples the examined, happy life with friendship and sharing. His most famous quote is — the unexamined life is not worth living. Often people look for the meaning of life in things that are in a way bigger than they are. Event, Meaning, Emotion, Reaction. For Socrates living a life that is examined by laws and rules is not worthy living. To Socrates, an unexamined life is merely rhetorical in value; it is a passing fancy. Socrates most important aspect to the examined life is being judged by the gods. Search: Chapter 17 – Event, Meaning, Emotion, Reaction. Explanation: Question one According to Socrates, a life that is examined is life that includes self-examination characteristics. For Socrates the examined life was the attainment of wisdom and intellectual humility. It is this eclecticism that Socrates lauds when he says that we should be conversing on many topics, everyday, in order to understand ourselves. This is the unexamined life. What is meant by justice? What is an examined life? Misc. The examined life, as Socrates articulated millennia ago, entails looking into the root causes of my behaviors, and the patterns and consequences I am piling up. Is Socrates a good teacher? The examined life is preoccupied with the “truth” and “goodness” of things. That is not to say that one cannot be happy living an unexamined life; many people manage to do it every day. “Such a man could not be on friendly terms with any other man, nor with God, for he would be incapable of sharing; and where there is no sharing, there can be no friendship. What does it mean for Socrates to not fear death? What we learn from the Gorgias is that the examined life is a life spent questing for the “good”. Socrates doesn’t go into a lot of detail in this passage about what exactly constitutes the examined life or why “the unexamined life is not worth living”. For in this way, a person can come to decipher what is good and what is evil and make proper decisions. He was 70 years old, and the city of Athens had him on trial for “corrupting the youth of Athens” by “teaching them not to believe in the gods in whom the city believes.” Socrates spoke in his own defense, and it didn’t take him long to confound his accusers by showing that they didn’t even know what they meant by “gods.” But though he won point after point at the philosophical level, Socrates did not prevail in court. In conclusion, when he speaks of the importance of living an examined life he is of the mind that such examination will allow one to discover an objective meaning in life. Socrates, according to the Platonic dialogues, believes that in life we should seek eudaimonia as our ultimate end. His preferred philosophical style was the interrogation, and he could most often be overheard asking questions with the form, “My friends, what is ________ ?” No matter what you were talking about, Socrates would grab ahold of the most important noun and start worrying it with questions about its essence. It might seem commonsensical, but without friendship and the trust that accompanies friendship, the truth cannot be reached through conversation. He states that anyone who wishes to be happy must first practice self-control and flee from profligacy. Some turn to religion while some turn to science. An examined life is a life that has an author and follows a set direction towards achieving substantial goals. In my perspective, the examined life is a reflection on one’s life and virtues. In your relationships with things, including other humans, pets, inanimate objects and so on – you follow a pattern of behavior that you may want to examine. (Apology 38a) Socrates would rather die than give up philosophy, and the jury seems happy to grant him that wish. This post was originally published on February 4, 2010. It’s not quite the dramatic delivery we would want, with Socrates played by Mel Gibson, yelling “THE EXAMINED LIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!” as he goes to his death. Socrates was a teacher in Greece. Links. He leads his life, all the way to the end, in line with his philosophy and its principles, never wavering and always questioning. Of course, he expects his judges to be incredulous and I am inclined to believe that little has changed. Gorgias. What reason was there to live if life could not be questioned? The huddled masses, in contrast, have to work within the system just to stay alive. Although Socrates may not admit it directly, it appears his wisdom was the cause of his death as a result of a passionately examined life full of questions and curiosity. It probably has a military background, and suggests something like a drill instructor inspecting the ranks. Hence Socrates’ renowned statement “The unexamined life is not worth living”.… This, perhaps, is Socrates’s conception of immortality. Hence Socrates’ renowned statement “The unexamined life is not worth living”. Art And there, toward the end of his penultimate speech in Plato’s Apology, knowing there’s nothing he can say that will give him an honorable alternative to the death penalty, he says this: If I say that it is impossible for me to keep quiet because that means disobeying the god, you will not believe me and will think I am being ironical. That life would be one that would involve a lot of suffering, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all that's missing is living an "examined life" in Socrates's sense. Through out generations, mankind has been asking themselves what is the purpose of life. If you wanted a Socrates T-shirt, button, or bumper sticker, this is the phrase that would go on it. The Road Not Taken In Plato’s “Apology” Socrates tells us that the “unexamined life is not worth living as he defends himself from … Socrates wasn’t good at sound bites. Rather, the Meno is a dialogue with an eclectic taste, covering a number of topics from the recollection of knowledge to whether virtue is equal to justice. Nozick's view of the examined life focused on the concept of the philosophical self-portrait in developing a more full understanding of life. It’s a rather radical statement and if we accept it, it means we ought to live a life like Socrates; ignoring wealth and social status to focus on philosophy. Socrates famously said "The unexamined life is not worth living." Theology (Apology 38a) Socrates would rather die than give up philosophy, and the jury seems happy to grant him that wish. Here Socrates discusses what makes a man happy and content and what actions a man must follow through with in order to live a full, examined life. Meaning of – An unexamined life is not worth living. In the Apology, Socrates says: I am pushed to narrow the meaning of ‘the examined life’. Indianapolis: Library of Liberal Arts, 1976. Critics of the idea claim that only the elite can live an examined life. An examined life enables one to think critically. Socrates' focus was to determine how to become a better human being. “The unexamined life is not worth living,” said Socrates. Is the unexamined life really not worth living? Man should strive to be just; and, if we commit an aberration, we should submit to proper justice and punishment. Because the unexamined life is not worth living for men, or the course of life that is not subjected to exacting scrutiny is not a humanly livable life. “I say that it is the greatest good for a man to discuss virtue every day and those other things about which you hear me conversing and testing myself and others, for the unexamined life is not worth living” (Apology 38a). Except where otherwise noted, content on this wiki is licensed under the following license: 2011:the-examined-life-according-to-socrates. Why? We should be examining each possibility and every contention even if an agreement or conclusion cannot be reached. This objective meaning, for Socrates, consisted most of all in living virtuously and coming to as complete a knowledge as one can of the divine. Yet, Socrates’ concept of wisdom had less to do with knowledge per se than with understanding. This is exemplified best in the Apology. I couldn't agree more. The word 'theory' I will take to mean a 'thesis' or 'proposition' that is subject to refutation in This objective meaning, for Socrates, consisted most of all in living virtuously and coming to as complete a … Socrates’ statement explains the need to examine the life and taking the right action on how to live in it. What did Socrates mean when he said ‘I know nothing’? In my perspective, the examined life is a reflection on one’s life and virtues. In modern times, the phrase has come under scrutiny for being elitist. Explain Aristotle's notion of theoretical reason (causation). Without proper instruction, without self-control, man will always fall into the abyss of persuasion and pleasure, which leads one away from what is the examined life. Which indicates that Socrates is talking about examining and analyzing life from every perspective in an ethical and philosophical way. Everyone at some point in their life wonders what the meaning of life is. It certainly is, for Socrates, that human happiness, necessarily much lower than that of the gods, but on the contrary “a life unexamined is not worth living” (Plato, Apology). Avant-Garde Socrates examined life revolved around the idea of soul, this soul can have either a positive or negative state depending on the action one takes in their lives, whether their actions are pious or impious, learning truth then enriches the soul and gives life meaning. If you thought you knew the answer, he would keep hassling you until he convinced you that you didn’t really know. This is precisely what Socrates means when he says, “You will hear me conversing and testing myself and others” (Apology 38a). and find homework help for other Apology questions at eNotes He also refuses to supplicate himself to the jury, but instead leaves the decision of the jury to 'justice', the virtue of 'justice'. What is the examined life to Socrates? As I understood, Socrates was convicted and was sentenced to either exile or committing silence. Compare and contrast this with the Epicurean notion of wellbeing (Epicurean ethics). Socrates, even in a moment of great despair and tribulation, follows through and maintains his philosophical demeanor. 'A worthwhile life is the life in which you choose to live a worthwhile life. He was found guilty, and the jury named the penalty as death (Socrates suggested a different penalty: free meals for life). That is not to say that one cannot be happy living an unexamined life; many people manage to do it every day. Also a Warrior, he fought for the Greeks and then for their enemies, the Spartans. Socrates influences us by linking meaning to life and placing a heavy weight to his words. He does not just suggest that there might be meaning to live, he insists that it must be contemplated, examined. The goal is not to do research but to focus your thoughts on one argument or one position and dig deep. It has been republished as part of our ten year anniversary celebration. That is why life, if examined, is meaningful even after it has ended. What makes the Meno stand out is its diversity of explorations. … The unexamined life is always preoccupied with the mask of “truth”, never the kernel of things. But for the thinkers among us, it is unimaginable to trade reasoned inquiry for happiness. This becomes exceptionally clear right before Socrates ends his final speech. Literature In fact, it might be the most famous thing he ever said. Wise men say … that heaven and earth, gods and men, are held together by the principles of sharing, by friendship and order, by self-control and justice; that … is the reason they call the universe “cosmos” (507e-508a). "I couldn't agree more. And in context, Socrates isn’t so much talking about examining his own life, as hassling the men of Athens: “it is the greatest good” to be “conversing and testing [another form of the verb exetazein here] myself and others” about virtue. Socrates once said “The unexamined life is not worth living”. by Fred Sanders on May 1, 2014 “The unexamined life is not worth living,” said Socrates. If it could not be examined? He compares it to pleasure, or the 'pleasant': “Some activities were concerned solely with pleasure, procured this only, and paid no attention to what might be better or worse” (Gorgias 500a). Now, a man must also understand and examine the universe that dwells within his own soul. Socrates, most famously portrayed by the works of Plato, put a new spin on the topic when he suggested that the meaning of life is only attainable through self-reflection, thus implying that a very meditative person is essentially of greater value than a person who chooses not to contemplate himself/herself as thoroughly. The guilty verdict against Socrates was a reaction to the questioning of the ruling elites’ conventional thought. This is being a good philosopher and living the philosophical life, for Socrates is examining both himself and the jury's conception of what is 'just' versus 'unjust'; he is trying to be acquitted not through coercion, but through teaching. Not only does he frequently engage the jury in philosophical inquiry, but he also acts on his philosophical principles. Dispassionate Reason: Even when the jury has sentenced him to death, Socrates calmly delivers his … Contact Form - I'd love to hear from you! Today he is credited with many influential philosophical ideas and quotes, but one in particular “An unexamined life is not worth living”. Read more about Fred here. Conclusion. When an examined life comes to the end on earth, the meaning of examination goes on. By rhetoric he means a fancy, convincing way of talking that bears a likeness to truth, but is patently false; it is irrational. He has been condemned to die; yet we find him still philosophizing with the jury and with himself. "The unexamined life is not worth living" (Ancient Greek: ὁ ... ἀνεξέταστος βίος οὐ βιωτὸς ἀνθρώπῳ) is a famous dictum apparently uttered by Socrates at his trial for impiety and corrupting youth, for which he was subsequently sentenced to death, as described in Plato's Apology (38a5–6). The original Greek of the phrase could be translated more literally as “the unexamined life is not livable for a man.” By truth he means what the highest, noblest of intellectual endeavors, mostly philosophy, all aim for; it is rational. Which indicates that Socrates is talking about examining and analyzing life from every perspective in an ethical and philosophical way. Fred is a systematic theologian with an emphasis on the doctrine of the Trinity. For Socrates, friendship is a vehicle to finding the truth and order of things. Through this statement, Socrates means that an unexamined human life is deprived of the meaning and purpose of existence. What does Socrates mean by the examined life? Socrates here makes the distinction between rhetoric and truth, and by way of analogy, the unexamined versus the examined life. Essay / Philosophy The Examined Life of Socrates. Whilst, Socrates see it as becoming wise and humble as human. As we can see, he philosophizes to the end and keeps examining, opening up new doors of possibility. For Socrates, an examined life was about spending as much time as possible engaging in life’s most important subjects, like those of justice, virtue, piety, truth, among others. In Apology, Plato quotes Socrates as saying, "The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being." That is why life, if examined, is meaningful even after it has ended. This determination and sincereness, even in the face of demise, provides us with a perfect reflection on the way one should lead one's life according to Socrates. Socrates, even in a moment of great despair and tribulation, follows through and maintains his philosophical demeanor. It’s still a fine motto for your philosophy club. He lived his life on the basis of the need for morals and principles. This tension shows the fruitfulness of the philosophical quest for happiness in ancient times: the eudaimonia is conceived as the provision by which a human life is even reached its perfection. It’s a technique that brings a certain harsh clarity, but “What is X?” just doesn’t make a good slogan. The Life Of Socrates And The Meaning Of Life 1441 Words | 6 Pages. Today, few pay attention to philosophers like Socrates. How is knowing nothing nearer to the truth? This work (by https://lucianofsamosata.info/wiki), identified by Frank Redmond, is free of known copyright restrictions. Education On the other hand, the examined life is preoccupied with the 'good', which is what all activities should aim for (Gorgias 507c). 20 quotes have been tagged as examined-life: Kurt Vonnegut: ‘Plato says that the unexamined life is not worth living. Plato. “An examined life” according to Socrates, is what elevates the existence of the fully functional and rational human being above the rest of the animal kingdom. Moreover, it is a struggle. Living an examined life calls for one to strive for excellence. Socrates conversations and examining lives of individuals are mutually illuminating since they lead to knowledge. This is exemplified best in the Apology. This illustration of a lifestyle is what Socrates would describe an unexamined life. “The unexamined life is not worth living” How better to start this celebration of thought than with a classic: Socrates’s defiant statement at the trial that led to his execution. This quote, from the son of a sculptor, and his profound thoughts, is one of many that modern-day philosophy is based on.. It also enables one to make informed decisions about ones life. What I say is true, gentlemen, but it is not easy to convince you. They wanted him to promise to stop doing philosophy, and he said he’d rather die. He refuted both of the penalties and said "The un-examined life is not worth living" which means that he can not live without being able to discuss life matters and life … The original Greek of the phrase could be translated more literally as “the unexamined life is not livable for a man.” And the root of the word for “unexamined” (exetazein) is not one that shows up much in Plato’s writings. In the Apology, we find Socrates living out his own philosophy to the fullest. Socrates also gives us an excellent glimpse into what he considers to be the philosophical life in section 507 - 508 of the Gorgias. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1981. "examined life" according to Socrates Socrates was sufficiently arrogant as to believe that he was among the wisest of men, certainly wiser than those who were sitting in judgement of him and prepared to sentence him to death. Socrates is clearly saying that learning and philosophy consists of asking questions but he is also saying that the daily investigation of virtue or morality is a central aspect of the examined life. Reflection On The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living 794 Words | 4 Pages. The Meno teaches us that it is the back and forth conversing and argumentation that makes for an examined life. Copyright © 2020 The Scriptorium Daily Administrative Editor: Fred Sanders, Neuroscience Talk May Be Literally Re-Wiring Your Brain, “The Holy Spirit Teaches us to Die Faithfully.”, Torrey Cambridge 2017: Great Booklist in a Great Place. But for the freethinkers among us, it is unimaginable to trade reasoned inquiry for happiness. "The unexamined life is not worth living." 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