Socrates' apology: the unexamined life

¶ … Greek philosopher Socrates has made to the development of thought in Western Civilization have been considerable. Contained in his legacy are his thoughts on a variety of diverse subjects and his teaching methods but one of his most significant contributions was his view on the unexamined life. During the final days of his life, Socrates was forced to endure a trial where he was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens. In the course of offering his own defense, Socrates reportedly stated, according to his student Plato, "the unexamined life is not worth living." Through the centuries it has been widely discussed what Socrates precisely intended by these words and there is wide difference of opinion but one more brief attempt will be made herein.

Socrates at the time he made this statement was facing his imminent death and was addressing his concerns to the tribunal that was passing judgment upon him. In those trying moments he was advising those around him the importance of looking at oneself and actively deciding how to live one's life. To do otherwise is to actively allow others to make decisions for you and, thereby, essentially allow others to control you. Socrates believed strongly that all human beings had not only the ability but also the duty to think for themselves and that it was a betrayal to oneself to simply follow the herd.

To the end Socrates lived his life just as he preached. In addressing his accusers, Socrates stood before them and defended his way of life. He recognized that there was little that he could do to defend himself against the charges and, instead, he defends his believe that life should be a process of constant inquiry and examination of one's beliefs and actions. Socrates, believing that he had lived his entire life in self-examination, challenged his accusers and let them know that he was dying for having lived his life thinking for himself and for actively encouraging others to do the same.

The essence of Socrates' statement on examining oneself is that in order for life to have any meaning or value an individual must strive to know oneself. Getting to know oneself requires a questioning of not only one's own actions but also a questioning of the world around us. Through such questioning it becomes possible to distinguish between good actions and bad actions. The ability of humans to participate in this process is what separates them from animals. Thus, those who choose to live their lives without examining it are basically living like animals and would be better off, in Socrates' view, not having lived at all.

Critics of Socrates' view, however, argue that he was being too demanding of others in expecting them to spend their lives contemplating their existence. Such a lifestyle is unrealistic and one that is not plausible for most members of society. Instead, what is necessary is a life where one acquires the social and emotional skills necessary to allow one to recognize what is morally right and then to live one's life in accordance with such recognition. This process does not require a constant introspective vigilance like the one that Socrates proposes. Most men are not philosophers like Socrates and are busy with their day-to-day lives. They do not have the time or inclination to spend their days contemplating their existence. As long as they live a good life, their lives are no less meaningful. In the end, Socrates would likely agree.

The importance of Socrates' statement is that he remained true to his beliefs to the very end. He had spent his life questioning everything including those in authority and, in the process, he learned that very few of his fellow Athenians gave much thought about life issues and, instead, simply accepted what others said and did. In doing so, Socrates believed that most people wasted their lives. In the course of his trial, Socrates has occasion to use several dialogs that illustrate his points. In Euthyphro, Socrates discusses what is piety? Such discussion is important in that one of the charges against him at trial is his alleged impiety. Unfortunately, for Socrates, however, is the fact that no one, and especially his accusers, has any concept of what constitutes piety. Through the dialog with Euthyphro, Socrates attempts to enlighten his accusers but, needless to say, he is unsuccessful. Similarly, through his dialog with Crito, Socrates provides insight into how a good life is governed by control of one's feelings and emotions and, although escaping from prison as Crito suggests may result in extending his life, Socrates believes that doing so would mean his repudiating the beliefs that have governed his life.