The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living - 1978 Words

â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living.† Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, has never spoken truer words. The unexamined life is a recurring theme in both Plato’s The Allegory of the Cave and Richard Wright’s The Library Card. There are many ways to achieve enlightenment, for example, going out and obtaining information, through individualism, learning from mistakes, becoming an intellectual reader, or contemplation. Enlightenment was important to both Plato and Richard Wright. Plato believed that most of civilization lives in deep ignorance, and are in terribly deplorable conditions as a result. Richard Wright’s insatiable hunger for knowledge and enlightenment sets him apart from those around him, which drives the wedge created by their differences further between them. Nevertheless, it gives Wright’s life meaning and direction. This sensation furthers his existing curiosity, helping Wright to realize his love of literature. Having enlightenment is the process where one becomes aware of what shackles the mind. Both of these essays struggle with either the physical or mental chains that limit one’s ability to obtain knowledge and to become enlightened. Plato was born approximately 428 B.C.E. in Athens, Greece and was a student of Socrates and teacher to Aristotle. Plato, being a philosopher and a author, wrote dialogues that explored philosophical questions of justice, virtue, law, reason, and the soul. Plato founded the Academy in Athens, which was one of theShow MoreRelatedUnexamined Life Is Not Worth Living1851 Words   |  8 Pagesconvicted for impiety to the gods and for corrupting the youth because he had taught the young adults to question, he was given the opportunity to propose his own penalty. He refused to give up his mission as the one calling Athens to the examined way of life. He refused to leave Athens, if the condition were to be that he had to give up teaching. He summed up his defense in the following way: If I say that I cannot hold my peace (by giving up my mission) because that would be to disobey the godRead MoreThe Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living1450 Words   |  6 Pagesb) The unexamined life is not worth living, quoted Socrates. It appears that, following his brilliant logic, the key to living philosophically is exactly how one interprets and scrutinizes their own life in a philosophical context. As with the nature of philosophy itself, living philosophically is also ambiguous, and it could very well be that one lives philosophically even if they do not necessarily realize it. Take, for instance, a person who questions why humans and all life forms must die;Read MoreUnexamined Life Not Worth Living For1300 Words   |  6 PagesUnexamined Life Not Worth Living For In this paper I will argue that Socrates is right about an unexamined life is no worth living for, however too much examination leads to the absurd and too little tends to keep you from obtaining knowledge, not being able to free your-self as humans are meant to be free. Socrates was a philosopher who believed that humans were meant to obtain all type of knowledge, and that such knowledge could only be achieved through examination. As Socrates stated â€Å"it is theRead 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 SocratesRead MoreThe, The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living1744 Words   |  7 Pages I wholeheartedly embrace the sentiments of Socrates when Plato stated in the Apology, â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living. † Upon reflection, and asking myself, what exactly does this mean, I feel as if my life has evolved full circle. I finally understand the meaning and purpose of my life – the myth I believe and know I should be living. This course has put a lot of things into perspective for me by putting my thoughts, experiences, and feelings into words and statements that prior to I couldRead MoreThe Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living Essay1577 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living.† This quote, by a famous philosopher Socrates, amplifies the idea of critical thinking and its true importance. This quote explains that if we as individuals do not evaluate ourselves, then we stop living as human beings.This quote can present what is truly at stake when dealing with critical thinking. Critical thinking allows human beings to question the status quo naturally with no effect. Critical thinking is an important practice and technique one shouldRead MoreThe Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living1344 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"An unexamined life is not worth living† Imagine living a life without change, development and growth. Imagine living a life without any consciousness of what life has to offer. As mind-boggling as this may sound, there are actually many people on this earth that have not taken the effort to know themselves. People should be able to fairly judge their lives. Man should be able to gain wisdom by the examinations of the deeds they’ve done to prepare for the future. Life is no longer worth livingRead MoreUnexamined Life Is Not Worth Living964 Words   |  4 Pagespremise that â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living†. To understand this quote, we should know what a premise is in relation to his quote. A premise is using a statement to support an opinionated conclusion, for example, getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night lets you wake up not tired, proving that you should go to sleep early. So, what he means by an â€Å"unexamined life is not worth living† is that a life without being producti ve or bettering yourself isn’t a life worth living because you don’tRead MoreThe Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living2068 Words   |  9 PagesProject Due Date: 12/04/2014 Date Submitted: 12/04/2014 Myth/Narrative I Am Living I enthusiastically embrace the sentiment of Socrates that, â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living.† Upon reflection, and asking myself, what exactly does this mean, I feel as if my life has progressed full circle. I finally understand, to a greater extent, the meaning and purpose of my life – the myth I believe and know I should be living. Through the course readings, text, and concepts, the authors have inspiredRead MoreThe Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living1629 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living,† Plato says in The Apology. When people think about the great problems facing humanity, their attention tends to turn to issues such as poverty, warfare, pollution, and disease. While these problems are important and urgent, there are other problems which are equally urgent, but often overlooked. Are human beings born with a map for life? Can that map lead people to happiness? If there is a map, every human being can attain ha ppiness easily. Is there any