An Unexamined Life

Essay # 45540

Philosophy > Ancient Greek

An Unexamined Life

Explores ancient Greek philosopher Socrates's view of the "unexamined life".

1,230 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2002 United States

Paper Summary:

An unexamined life is a life that is assuming, conventional, and unchallenging. People who live unexamined lives are content with what they were taught and accept these teachings as knowledge. They do not question authority, and they do not ponder why things are. This paper encompasses the theories expressed by the Greek philosopher, Socrates, and his view of what he called the "unexamined life".

From the Paper:

"There needs to be a middle ground between claiming to have knowledge and knowing that you do not have knowledge but being unhappy about it and dedicating your existence to the quest for truth. If we realize that we, in actuality, do not have any knowledge, we have taken the first step in having knowledge. We may then question subjects until we find answers that vary from person to person. This is not knowledge -these are simply beliefs. Beliefs are an essential part of life. Having beliefs relates to living an examined life. They allow us to expand our minds and think beyond what we know as possibility and modify these beliefs to somehow realistically apply to our lives. This can give us a sense of fulfillment."