Socius

Socrates taught a life an unexamined isn't worth living. If a person is unable to examine themselves or unexamine what others say/do life is meaningless, death is better.

Agree or disagree? Why

Fox

No one was stopping him from examining his own life, or even the lives of others through observation. Likewise, he could just as easily lived his "examined life" in exile. What he really seems to be saying is almost something like, "The life wherein I cannot push others to examine their own lives is not worth living."

If someone could somehow render me epistemologically incapable of examining my own life (perhaps through a brain implant of some sort?), then yes, I would rather die, since self-examination is so fundamental to living well. But if instead it's merely a question of whether or not I can wander around trying to push others into examining themselves, especially merely within the bounds of a small, specific region? Well, I like doing that, and even find value in it, but if the choice is doing that and dying or not doing it and living, I have to admit I would probably choose life, accept exile, and pursue my passion for such dialogues elsewhere.

MinoanGoddess

The ideals of the ancient Greeks are very different from today. I do not think Socrates statement is to be taken literally as the Greeks believed in a life after, such as the Elesian fields and the underworld. I would equate the word to numbness/lack of emotion not an ending.

bunyip

The author matters not at all.


The statement remains a facile aphorism, of no value as a general principle and arguably arrogantly presumptuous. [to judge the worth of the life of others]

Jake10

While examining is important, there is more to life than that.

dagul

The brain has logic. It thinks critically so it constantly examines itself in whatever way it works because it is only when it is dead that it is incapable of criticism, even the memories dies with it as it rests on that destroyed material. But what makes it the philosophy of the time is because Socrates thought of it, it's the power of his brain that influenced the Greeks. Those were the suppositions of time whether it be right or wrong, that was an idea which is debatable and subject to different kinds of arguments. The civilization was really fantastic for the ancient Greeks.

Iolo

Yes - the Greeks of that time made the most remarkable breakthroughs by 'examining' their lives and beliefs critically. When you study the period it seems almost inconceivable that any people could break away from its inherited traditions to that degree. Socrates was just an extreme case. Astounding!

BRIAN GOWER

Philosophy tends to attract reflective people who wish to consider why they or others are unhappy or dissatisfied with life and how it can be improved whereas those with plenty of zest for living seem to enjoy it spontaneously without feeling the need to examine it.

Brisieis

I think the whole point here is about how to better oneself and others enhancing their lives, through being self critical. Being a very self critical person, I think it is a good thing to examine yourself, if you feel like you could enhance who you are and remove flaws, being self critical is a great way of resolving it and achieving a more content life.

Of course, Socrates mentions death, but I do not personally believe that it is better to be dead. I understand his point though.

Fireatwill

Very good remarks there.

Socrates is way overrated.

"I realized that Socrates and Plato were symptoms of degeneration..."

Nietzsche : Twilight of the Idols