An Analysis of the Examined Life in Apology by Socrates

Unexamined Life

Socrates in his speech to the Athenian Jury states that,”… for the unexamined life is not worth living for men, you will believe me even less.”(39) Socrates views the unexamined life as a life that when we take action, we should look back on to our actions and justify them, we should not act on rash motive but more so take our time and plan them out. Socrates was called to court on accounts of encouraging his pupils to questions the accepted beliefs and morals of the time period. The Unexamined life focuses on questioning what we are taught and what we believe. Examining your life would lead towards the common people of not just ancient Greece, but throughout time to become much more philosophical thinkers.

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In Euthyphro Socrates visits Euthyphro after he prosecutes his father for murdering one of their workers. This is one of the views against Examined and Unexamined life. Piety is called into question quite often between the two, “ Whereas, by Zeus, Euthyphro, you think that your knowledge of the divine, and of piety and impiety, is so accurate that, when those things happened as you say, you have no fear of having aced impiously in bringing your father to trial”(5). The Examined life calls into the play those us as people always to what is morally right. Examined life holds truth to be greater then anything else, truth is the only understanding of life. In Socrates’ conversation with Euthyphro he calls into questions the gods, “ So tell me now, by Zeus, what you just now maintained you clearly knew: what kind of thing do you say that godliness and ungodliness are, both as regards murder and other things;” (5). Questions the gods during Socrates time was considered to be one of the biggest wrongdoings an individual could commit against.

In Apology Socrates goes against the Athenian court to face the charges that have been brought up against him. He faces multiple charges, and all these charges somehow relate to examined life. He teaches his pupils to all ways question life and only accept the truth in this world, which goes against all the laws in the Greek community. The most severe charge that was against Socrates was the teaching of his pupils to question the gods and impiety. With Socrates mentions in Apology how important it is to teach them these ideas instead of following the common ways of the gods, “ Do not deem it right for me, men of Athens, that I should act towards you in a way that I do not consider to be good or just or pious, especially, by Zeus, as I am being prosecuted by Meletus here for impiety; clearly, if I convinced you by my supplication to do violence to your oath of office, I would be teaching you not to believe that there are gods…”(35).

Socrates in this quote states that he without a doubt has taught that they should not just follow the gods ways, but also examine what they are exactly doing and if the gods teachings are really correct. But in the end Socrates does not try and to avoid the charges, he leaves it up to the gods and the court to actually judge his charges against him.

Socrates uses his view of Examined life to decide to stay in his cell, instead of fleeing Greece. He views the idea of fleeing as being a coward and not staying true to the charges against him, “May it be fore the best. If it so please the gods, so be it. However, I do not think it will arrive today.”(44). Socrates has decided and told Crito that no matter what he will honor the gods now with Examined life, stay in his cell till the ship comes and then he will be executed. Socrates views his life that if he were to leave all of his teachings would become lies and not is concrete to his pupils. As Socrates is deciding that he should leave, “One should never do wrong in return, nor do any man harm, no matter what he may have done to you. And Crito, see that you do not agree to this, contrary to your belief. For I know that only a few people hold this view of will hold it…”(49). Socrates holds true to his values and decides that the Greek Athenian court will ultimately
execute him.

Examined life is a life worth living, due to the fact that it opens up our outlook to multiple aspects. An Unexamined life structures your outlook and views off to only a small portion of what you have been taught. It hinders your ability to go out and think for yourself, instead you are following only what you have been taught. Whether that may be solely on religion or your schooling. The examined life is worth living while the unexamined life blocks us off to our true potential and finding out more about the world.

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