The Apology by Plato examines the accusations that Socrates faces while on trial in Athens. The philosopher is accused of not recognizing the same gods as the state, creating new deities, and corrupting the youth of Athens. He systematically disproves the claims while raising the idea that living an examined life enhances the overall quality of being by challenging and questioning the world around oneself. In The Apology by Plato, throughout Socrates’ examination of both his own life and of others’ lives, he determines that “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Plato, trans. 1871).
At the root of Socrates’ motive for examining his own life is the prophecy provided by the God of Delphi. In criticizing his own life, he realizes that he is wiser than all other men because they do not demonstrate having a higher intelligence than he; but while the poets, politicians, and artisans believe they have knowledge that they do not, Socrates does not have wisdom and also does not believe himself to have knowledge (Plato, trans. 1871). His comprehension of his own ignorance makes him wiser in this matter. In addition to the acknowledgement of his own ignorance, Socrates also is an …show more content…
The other men have some knowledge and like to act as though they have more, but Socrates digs deep for his knowledge. He gains his knowledge from living fully and taking advantage of opportunities and questioning things rather than just accepting what he is told. Correspondingly, instead of living day by day and sticking to the norm of society, Socrates reaches out and grasps onto new ideas and then begins to spread his ideas in order to influence and encourage others. An unexamined life is not worth living, but fortunately Socrates makes a conscious effort to demonstrate and explain exactly what living an examined life looks like with his life as the
At the root of Socrates’ motive for examining his own life is the prophecy provided by the God of Delphi. In criticizing his own life, he realizes that he is wiser than all other men because they do not demonstrate having a higher intelligence than he; but while the poets, politicians, and artisans believe they have knowledge that they do not, Socrates does not have wisdom and also does not believe himself to have knowledge (Plato, trans. 1871). His comprehension of his own ignorance makes him wiser in this matter. In addition to the acknowledgement of his own ignorance, Socrates also is an …show more content…
The other men have some knowledge and like to act as though they have more, but Socrates digs deep for his knowledge. He gains his knowledge from living fully and taking advantage of opportunities and questioning things rather than just accepting what he is told. Correspondingly, instead of living day by day and sticking to the norm of society, Socrates reaches out and grasps onto new ideas and then begins to spread his ideas in order to influence and encourage others. An unexamined life is not worth living, but fortunately Socrates makes a conscious effort to demonstrate and explain exactly what living an examined life looks like with his life as the