The Trial and Death of Socrates occurs when Socrates becomes most reflective in his life. In these final moments, a theme emerges: the unexamined life. Socrates states that “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Apology 38a). This statement may seem profound, but it raises questions about what exactly an unexamined life is and why an examined life is important to Socrates. Throughout the dialogues of The Trial and Death of Socrates, it becomes clear that he is obsessed with questioning the world and seeking truth.
The dialogues present Socrates’ internal conflict as he seeks the truth about morality and piety. Throughout, Socrates endeavors to define the nature of his surroundings, concurrently challenging his own definitions. Moreover, Socrates contends that leading a self-centered life, characterized by the pursuit of money and possessions, is inherently wrong. He emphasizes that this kind of existence goes against the approval of the gods.
Socrates prioritizes seeking right and wrong as his guiding principle, as he considers the gods’ judgment to be all-powerful. According to him, the state of one’s soul, as evaluated by the gods, should be the utmost priority for individuals. Having read The Trial and Death of Socrates, I now believe that living an examined life means living a life akin to Socrates, where philosophical pursuits take precedence over everything else. It involves constantly reevaluating one’s actions and the actions of others as crucial for leading a successful life.
Euthyphro from The Trial and Death of Socrates is a significant dialogue as it provides insight into the examined life’s aspect, which is the exploration of Truth. In Euthyphro, Socrates and the prosecutor endeavor to establish a definition for Pious and Impious. The need for this definition arises when Euthyphro elaborates on his father’s impending court case for killing a murderer. According to Euthyphro, any man who commits murder should be brought to trial because such acts are considered Pious.
Socrates asks Euthyphro to define what it means to be Pious, but he rejects all of his definitions. They engage in a circular debate, with Euthyphro continuously revising his definition in response to Socrates pointing out flaws and contradictions. Throughout the dialogues, Socrates repeatedly claims that he lacks knowledge and does not pretend to have it. However, he somehow possesses awareness that those around him are mistaken. Despite being frustrating, Socrates is clearly seeking an answer that is flawless and yearns for someone to provide it.
Euthyphro listens attentively to Socrates as he breaks down his definition, to which Socrates responds, “That is because I highly value your wisdom and pay close attention to it to ensure that none of your words go unheard” (Euthyphro 14d). This demonstrates that in Socrates’ quest for true wisdom, its importance surpasses all else as it enables us to make improved decisions.
Socrates expresses his belief in the value of knowledge, stating that it can improve one’s life and prevent carelessness (Euthyphro 16a). According to Socrates, possessing the truth is highly significant. As a result, he dismisses those who prioritize material possessions. Socrates emphasizes that the state of one’s soul is more valuable than any material goods or titles.
Those who pursue such things are living an unexamined life, according to Socrates. He asserts that his preference for individuals may give the impression that he freely shares his thoughts with anyone, without demanding payment and even gladly rewarding those who are willing to listen. Socrates illustrates the significance of his philosophical conversations with others, while also emphasizing his belief in the insignificance of conventional wealth in the larger context.
In his apology, Socrates criticizes the wealthy and power-seeking individuals by asserting that wealth does not bring about excellence, but rather, excellence brings about wealth and other benefits for both individuals and society as a whole (apology 30b). This quote showcases two significant elements of Socrates’ beliefs. Firstly, it emphasizes his viewpoint on wealth and its genuine significance; according to Socrates, true wealth lies in having a high quality of life.
Socrates believes that doing the right thing will lead to a better quality of life, or what he considers wealth. His primary concern is the state of one’s soul. Despite being accused and sentenced to death for atheism, Socrates does believe in the gods and sees them as all-powerful. From the start of the dialogues, Socrates seems aware of his impending death and consistently emphasizes distinguishing between right and wrong, pious and impious.
After a long period of trying to define piousness and impiousness, Socrates and Euthyphro cannot come to an agreement. Socrates insists on starting the investigation of piety from the beginning because he is determined to learn about it: “so we must investigate again from the beginning what piety is, as I shall not willingly give up before I learn this” (Euthyphro 15d). It is clear that Socrates has a strong desire to understand piety because he believes it is connected to what the gods want.
Socrates believes in an afterlife that is controlled by the gods, stating that “death is something I couldn’t care less about, but what my whole concern is not do anything unjust or impious” (Apology 32d). This belief indicates that Socrates is not an atheist, as his main worry is being judged wrongly by the gods for committing impious acts, which he believes would displease them. Thus, being judged by the gods is crucial to Socrates’ understanding of the examined life.
Socrates explored the concept that life is focused on the soul, which can exist in either a positive or negative state based on one’s actions. These actions can be either pious or impious, and the pursuit of truth enriches and gives purpose to the soul. Upon reading The Trial and Death of Socrates, I have comprehended his interpretation of the unexamined life and why it is deemed unworthy. Socrates’ notion of the examined life is centered around truth, particularly the truth of piety. Piety entails doing what would be pleasing to the Greek gods.
Upsetting these gods with impious actions will stain your soul. This is the reason why Socrates is eager to seek knowledge. Socrates’ ultimate desire is to obtain the true definition of pious, as this knowledge will improve the quality of his life. Knowing the truth about piety would lead Socrates to strictly adhere to it, as he places utmost importance on the state of his soul. Thus, living an unexamined life means disregarding the condition of one’s soul.
According to Socrates, individuals who lead unexamined lives engage in pious or unjust actions, whether intentional or not, without considering the true consequences of their actions. These individuals fail to reflect on their behavior and prioritize their own interests and material gains over attaining knowledge. Socrates deems this type of life as worthless, as the acquisition of material possessions holds no significance for the soul compared to the pursuit of knowledge.
