Socrates Essay – The Unexamined Life

Socrates lived meticulously according to the laws of his state and believed strongly in justice. He believed that dignity is knowledge and famously stated that an unexamined life is not worth living. Despite the noble character of Socrates, he suffered great criticism, which ultimately led to the judgment of him and his subsequent death. Socrates was highly disliked by the prestigious citizens of Athens. It was because of what is now called Socratic irony and the Socratic method. Socratic irony means that everyone pretends to be ignorant to expose the erroneous opinions of others during the discussion. The Socratic method refers to a series of questions and answers that are meant to analyze, verify, or define a particular concept.

The following Socrates essay discusses the concept of the unexamined life. You can only use it as a sample for your own writing, and don’t present it as an essay of your own. Our mission is to help students with their writing, so if you have any problems, buy essay on our site. If you intend to get a high grade, you need our assistance. Read through our Socrates essay to see how our writers work on philosophy papers.

Is the Unexamined Life Really Not Worth Living?

It was Socrates who uttered the phrase “the unexamined life is not worth living,” during his trial for impiety and corrupting the youth, as read in Plato’s Apology. For the philosopher who was adamant about the pursuit of wisdom, it was a noble choice to choose death over exile or silence. Taking a closer look at the quote, it suggests a strong connection between the meaning of humanity and a sense of self-awareness. The definition of an examined life then brings up the question of what it means to be fully human, with Socrates then implying a more scrutinizing outlook on life through a constant questioning and logical argument (Johnson, 2011).

“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. 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. According to Socrates, it is through rational thought that allows human beings to gain a deeper sense of the self, giving it more value.

However, this same perspective ironically places a prime on those who can afford the pursuit on knowledge, who, more often than not, are the elite, which implies that the bulk of humanity are less valuable (Baggini, 2005). Whether an examined life makes living worthwhile depends on the perspective of the one living it. While constant reflection can give a deeper sense of one’s existence, it can also develop a barrier of exclusivity for those better equipped at examining it. Therefore, a balance between self-awareness in the present and the constant scrutiny of one’s life is vital in creating a life worth living.

Works Cited

1. Baggini, Julian. “Wisdom’s Folly.” The Guardian. 12 May 2005. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2005/may/12/features11.g24. Accessed 15 May 2018.
2. Johnson, David M. Socrates and Athens. Cambridge University Press. 20 Cambridge,
   England.