Discussion Of The Soul In The Apology By Socrates

“An unexamined life is no life for a human being to live.” Socrates believed that the purpose of life is to become a virtuous person. In his eyes virtue meant knowledge, and knowledge was attained through examination. By analyzing his trial in the "apology", we can see that he thought man must reflect on what he believes, ask questions based on what he does and doesn’t know, and live in accordance with these views. If one doesn’t follow this path, per Socrates, he will not gain any actual value out of life, and there would be no reason for him to live. Further, by considering the thoughts, questions, and fundamental principles developed by the great rationalist and empiricist philosophers, René Descartes and David Hume, specifically the development
In the “Apology,” Socrates was put on trial on a charge of corrupting the youth of Athens by teaching them not to believe in the God in whom the city believes, as well as charging a fee for teaching this knowledge. During the trial, he says, “make your first and chief concern not for your bodies or for your possessions, but for the highest welfare of your souls” (Apology 30b). Socrates shares with the jury members that it is not sufficient for a man to merely chase after worldly things/physicality that surrounds him, a man must also understand and study the universe that dwells within his soul. Often, if not always, our decisions, thoughts, and actions are based on how much pleasure (power, wealth, and reputation) I can attain and how much pain I can avoid. Socrates’ call to live examined lives is not necessarily an insistence on rejecting all such motivations, impulses, and desires, but rather a reminder that if one wants to truly live a better life and be a "good" person, he must delve deeper into matters of the human soul. Practically, this means asking the more profound questions, such as, what is the purpose of doing a particular action and what is the justification for believing a supposed fact given to us by our
One can clearly see this from his actions throughout the trial in the "Apology." He has been unfairly sentenced to death, yet we find him still philosophizing with the jury and with himself. For instance, he reflects: “There is good hope that death is a blessing, for it is one of two things: either the dead are nothing and have no perception, or it is, as we are told, a change and a relocating of the soul from here to another place” (Apology 40c). This determination and sincereness, even in the face of demise, provides us with a perfect reflection of Socrates character; he held true to his unshakeable belief that one must examine every situation that arises and learn from it, even in a time of fragility and weakness, his imminent