The Apology By Plato Is The Unexamined Life Worth Living

The Apology by Plato â€Å"Is the unexamined life worth living?† (The Apology, 2016, para. 48). This question has been asked by people since the time of Socrates. Many people delve into the quandary of this question seeking a greater understanding of their purpose. Often times, people live on the surface and never truly strive for self-examination, whereas others believe it is crucial to deeply examine one’s true self. Every life is worth living. However, the difference between simply existing in an unexamined life versus living life as God intended is momentous. An examined life is lived for the benefit of others more than oneself. Socrates’ question has revealed several different truths, including the value of self-examination, the importance†¦show more content†¦Every life given by God is worth living. However, a self-examined life may well be one full of meaning, depth, and humility. It is vital to delve into life by being inquisitive and reflective rather than floating on the surface of existence. Being a leader means providing the followers with guidance and wisdom. In the apology, Socrates was continually proving respected politicians, poets, and even craftsmen to be fools. Every man he spoke with only had knowledge of a certain field of study or basic information, but there was no depth to their knowledge. The people did not have any substantial and meaningful knowledge beyond their specific field of expertise. The politicians, poets, and craftsmen all truly believed they themselves were wiser than Socrates and none were humble. Continually, Socrates proved these men to be hypocrites, which angered them. Being a good leader and living a substantial and meaningful life means that whether you are a leader or a follower, delving into knowledge is beneficial for the greater good. Additionally, having humility while in a roll of leadership will result in a more significant life in that position, whether one is a respected politician, poet, or craftsmen. If a leader has knowledge of only how to do his job, he cannot provide the best leadership to his followers because he will not be able to give substantial answers that will benefit them andShow MoreRelatedPlatos The Apology659 Words   |  3 Pages Platos The Apology is an account of the speech Socrates makes at the trial where he is charged for various reasons; not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates did not win over the jury pleading his case, and was therefore sentenced to execution. It can be said that Plato’s Apology of Sokrates, although an unsuccessful attempt at defending Socrates on the charges of corruption the youth of Athens, is a successful defenseRead MoreApologies Are The New Teachers971 Words   |  4 PagesApologies Are the New Teachers (Three things Learned from Plato’s Apology) There are many writers, authors, and speakers in this world that are considered among the greats, but perhaps the greatest two of western speculation are Plato and Socrates. These two hand in hand had a huge influence on American Literature and others as well. Perhaps one of the most remarkable writings of Plato, since Socrates never once himself wrote anything down, is his writing of Apology. The writings of Apology showedRead MoreAnalysis Of Plato s The Apology 1198 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Apology† by Plato is a work written as a speech-like monologue, which later turns dialectic. Socrates, who has been brought upon the courts, proceeds with his defense which is by no means an apology. He believed in practicing and teaching philosophy even if that meant going against the Athenian law. He believed above all that he should not go against his own beliefs. In his defense, Socrates claims that an â€Å"unexamined† life is not worth living. What he means by this is that living an unexaminedRead MorePlatos Philosophy in Apology1375 Words   |  6 PagesPHL202H5 Plato s Philosophy in Apology Plato was known to be one of Socrates students, and knew him for over 40 years. Although Plato s version of Apology is popularly believed to be (the most accurate) historical recount of what happened in 399 B.C on the day of Socrates trial, historians cannot be sure the validity of everything he wrote. It can be argued that it is actually a philosophical work, remarking on the teachings of Socrates and his beliefs, which he stood by even until hisRead MoreApology Reflection989 Words   |  4 Pagesfaced many arduous challenges within the activity, I learned the importance of examining various aspects of life in a systematic and thorough way. Likewise, as I read Plato’s Apology, I began to realize that an essential part of simply living our lives is to also examine and dig deeper into our internal being. In fact, Socrates exclaimed that â€Å"an unexamined life is not worth living† (Plato, 2006, para. 68), but what does he mean by this? When Socrates made this bol d statement, I believe that heRead MoreSocrates : The Unxamined Life Is Not Worth Living993 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout this reading includes the definition of a quote from Socrates that states, â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living†? which explains his impiety for his corruption youth that lead to a sentence of death in court and in addition, the quote stated that Socrates’ ignorance in his conversations confused others so that Socrates can have others to believe that he’s always right. This statement relates to Socrates’ attitude and understanding towards his sentence of death and his commitment toRead MorePlato s The Apology Of Socrates874 Words   |  4 PagesIn Plato s â€Å"The Apology of Socrates†, Socrates states, â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living† and he would rather be put to death them stop his practice of philosophy (The Apology). In this writing, Socrates is charged with not accepting the gods recognize d by the state, devising new gods, and corrupting the youth of Athens. However, the word apology in the title is not our modern English interpretation of the word. The name of the speech stems from the Greek word apologia, which translatesRead MorePlato s Apology And Ralph Waldo Emerson s On Self Reliance1559 Words   |  7 PagesThrough Plato’s Apology and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s â€Å"Self-Reliance† both contend that living an unexamined life is living a life of ignorance and futility. On the other hand, living an examined life is living an enlightened life full of intelligence. I agree with Plato and Emerson’s similar ideas that without knowledge, life as it is, is not worth living. They both argue that having personal beliefs creates an intelligent society. Having knowledge allows for one to set goals and objectives to achieveRead More The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living Essay1051 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth livin g† (Plato 45), people began to question his theory. They began to wonder what Socrates meant with his statement, why he would feel that a life would not be worth living. To them, life was above all else, and choosing to give up life would be out of the picture. They did not understand how one would choose not to live life just because he would be unable to examine it. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Socrates felt that if he was unable to examine life, he wouldRead MoreThe Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living1834 Words   |  8 PagesThe unexamined life is not worth living. (Apology, 41e) Socrates held this statement to himself to a point where he allowed the courts to take his life because they don’t want him to continue his quest of insights, questions and knowledge. The philosophy of Socrates as explained by Plato offers an important concept of what it means to live the examined life and what makes a life either examined or unexamined. The combination of Euthyphro, The Apology and the Republic help understand what Socrates