Socrate and the Examined Life
The significance of the Examined life
Adrian Eames 951105878
Section leader: Elizabeth Grosz
The Trial and Death of Socrates takes place during a time in Socrates life where he becomes most reflective. During these final moments of Socrates life a theme arises, that of the unexamined life. Socrates claims that “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Apology 38a). Profound as the statement may seem it creates many questions; what is the unexamined life? And why is the idea of an examined life so dear to Socrates? It 's clear throughout the dialogues of The Trial and Death of Socrates has a sort of obsession with questioning the world around him, and discovering truth. These dialogues highlight an inner struggle within Socrates as he attempts to find truth about right and wrong, pious and impious. Socrates continually tries to define the world around him, the entire time playing his own devils advocate by finding flaws in his definitions. Socrates also believes that it is wrong to live a life fueled by selfish desires, Socrates is against taking payment and the collection of material possessions and makes it obvious that those who take this path are living their lives in a way that the gods do not approve of. Above all Socrates looks for right and wrong to guide him because to him the gods judgment is all powerful and the state of ones soul as judged by the gods is the most important thing people should work towards. After reading The Trial and Death of Socrates I 've come to believe that living an examined life is to live a life similar to Socrates where philosophical pursuits come above all else and reevaluating the actions of ones self and all those around is the key for a successful life.
Euthyphro from The Trial and Death of Socrates is an important dialogue because it gives insight to an aspect of the examined life which if the exploration of Truth. In Euthyphro Socrates and the prosecutor attempt to find a definition for Pious and Impious. The need
Adrian Eames 951105878
Section leader: Elizabeth Grosz
The Trial and Death of Socrates takes place during a time in Socrates life where he becomes most reflective. During these final moments of Socrates life a theme arises, that of the unexamined life. Socrates claims that “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Apology 38a). Profound as the statement may seem it creates many questions; what is the unexamined life? And why is the idea of an examined life so dear to Socrates? It 's clear throughout the dialogues of The Trial and Death of Socrates has a sort of obsession with questioning the world around him, and discovering truth. These dialogues highlight an inner struggle within Socrates as he attempts to find truth about right and wrong, pious and impious. Socrates continually tries to define the world around him, the entire time playing his own devils advocate by finding flaws in his definitions. Socrates also believes that it is wrong to live a life fueled by selfish desires, Socrates is against taking payment and the collection of material possessions and makes it obvious that those who take this path are living their lives in a way that the gods do not approve of. Above all Socrates looks for right and wrong to guide him because to him the gods judgment is all powerful and the state of ones soul as judged by the gods is the most important thing people should work towards. After reading The Trial and Death of Socrates I 've come to believe that living an examined life is to live a life similar to Socrates where philosophical pursuits come above all else and reevaluating the actions of ones self and all those around is the key for a successful life.
Euthyphro from The Trial and Death of Socrates is an important dialogue because it gives insight to an aspect of the examined life which if the exploration of Truth. In Euthyphro Socrates and the prosecutor attempt to find a definition for Pious and Impious. The need