Socrates The Examined Life

Though the quote does not necessarily enclose a common meaning, the language used in the quote lead one to understand Socrates as saying that the most important thing is living an examined life, otherwise it is not worth living. In my perspective, the examined life is a reflection on one’s life and virtues. In the Apology, Socrates says: I am pushed to narrow the meaning of ‘the examined life’. Which indicates that Socrates is talking about examining and analyzing life from every perspective in an ethical and philosophical way. During his defense, he makes statements such as that a good man should “look to this only in his actions, whether what he does is right or wrong, whether he is acting like a good or a bad man.” He believes that by examining …show more content…
Aristotle cherishes happiness as a central purpose of human life and a goal in itself. Aristotle’s calls happiness: eudaimonia. The word eudaimonia is Greek but it is translated as ‘happiness”. One of the main trouble is that happiness is understood to be a state of mind, for example when someone is enjoying an ice cream or is just simply “hanging out” with one’s friends. Yet for Aristotle, happiness is not just a state of happiness that can be gained or lost in a few hours but instead a final end that encloses one’s life. In his perspective, eudaimonia is the ultimate value of one’s life, measuring how well one has lived up. therefore, one is not allowed to speak about whether one has lived a happy life or not until is over. One need to have full knowledge about one’s life in order to feel happy. According to Aristotle in order to achieve eudemonia and fulfill our unique potential one needs rational potential. He divides them into two domains “intellectual” and “moral” virtues which can exercise and cultivate reason. Intellectual virtues are qualities such as wisdom, knowledge, cognitive intelligence and rationality. Its is a philosophical wisdom. Aristotle believes that intellectual virtues are refined through practice and teaching over time. While “moral” virtue is the experience of acting morally as truthfully or compassionately. It is a practical wisdom. One should know better what is doing, deliberately choose to do it and to do it for its own sake. For Aristotle, the way one commits to living a virtuous life involves values, emotions and attitudes. Nonetheless, Aristotle believed that pleasure is a necessary condition for a person to be virtuous because it helps one’s performance of the action. Humans do things they are attracted to, look for things that at the end it is pleasurable. Aristotle’s opinion on happiness is that life must be contemplated, this way