The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living

Not everyone is as knowledgeable as the great philosopher Socrates, but many of us possess the same way of thinking as this remarkable man. The claim, "the unexamined life is not worth living," brings about many questions and possibilities about what life is and how it is valued. Not only is philosophy itself extremely subjective in nature, so are we the students of this subject. We all bring about our own beliefs and opinions to the table, each contributing to the meaning behind "the unexamined life is not worth living."

This broad statement can be interpreted a variety of ways. In Socrates "Apology" we all understand that he is pleading for his life. Everyone values ones own life, and relating to this is easy. Commenting and saying, "the unexamined life is not worth living" is not quite so easy. Socrates is trying to explain to the jurors that when someone does wrong, if he or she steps back and examines the wrongdoing and understands the nature of which has occurred, he shall be forgiven in the most sympathetic way possible. Socrates knows that he has committed a crime in the eyes of his peers, and wishes to not be punished, but rewarded because of his courage that he understands what he has done.

If we examine this quote in today's reality, we can relate to Socrates on more than one level. Each and everyone of us comes across a point in our own lives where we know we have done something wrong. The moment when we step back and realize exactly what we have done, is what Socrates is trying to get across. When we as mankind look back on our life of wrongdoing and accept what we have done, is when life is truly worth living.