Comments on: Is the Unexamined Life Worth Living?

By: clkl

clkl — Wed, 30 May 2007 14:29:45 +0000

Steve,

You’re absolutely right. I was wrong to dismiss Socrates’ courageous remark at his death sentence as mere ‘aphorism’.

The point I wanted to make was that this is something one says about one’s own life, not a license to kill off others who are less introspective.

When guests spill wine on our tablecloth, I tell them, “Don’t worry, that’s what tablecloths are for!” But, that doesn’t give me permission to say this after I spill something on their tablecloth.

Deciding what makes life worth living is each individual’s responsibility. It is not transferable. I was reacting to the application of this idea to other people’s lives.

Whether heinous dictators should be allowed to live, is, in my opinion, a separate topic, not covered by this sentence.

All the best,
CLKL

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 30 May 2007 13:56:42 +0000

clkl,

For most us the choice isn’t “examine” or “die” but for Socrates it was, that’s why it is a great quote. If faced with the choice,what choice would you make?

Isn’t an unfulfilled default-ridden life, not really living? Isn’t it a kind of zombie state? Isn’t it a bit like being dead, just not as permanent?

By: clkl

clkl — Wed, 30 May 2007 13:10:03 +0000

The choice isn’t: “examine” or “die”. The options are, live mindfully, with intent, or live an unfulfilled, default-ridden life.

Children live in the moment. They are connected with their intentions. They have fewer bad habits and clutter in their thoughts. They require less overt concentration to experience their emotions and thoughts.

Adults must focus to appreciate the life’s value. This gift can be wasted if we don’t take notice of it.

It’s an aphorism, not an entire philosophical system.

By: Simonne

Simonne — Tue, 29 May 2007 18:21:29 +0000

If I were Pol Pot, I would have been sure that my life is worth living and that I’m a great ruler and a gorgeous man. Maybe they examined their lives and found them good. Does this make them better? No. But speaking from their point of view, they lived their lives to the full. It is true that I did not read Socrates, so I don’t know which was the context of his statement.

By: grolaw

grolaw — Tue, 29 May 2007 05:22:49 +0000

“I can’t agree with Socrates. Every life is worth living. ”

Pol Pot, Stalin & Hitler, included Simonne?

By: Simonne

Simonne — Mon, 28 May 2007 16:12:16 +0000

I can’t agree with Socrates. Every life is worth living. This decision has to be taken by each individual, in regard with his life. Regarding the examples given by Robert Gerzon, those people reached him just because they examined their lives and decided to seek for help. They did not kill themselves, but tried to find a better way. Children are not examining their lives. They just live, eat, play, cry… at what age does life start to be worth living?

By: clkl

clkl — Mon, 28 May 2007 14:02:26 +0000

True, the unexamined life is not worth living. But once examined, it is our duty move beyond reflecting upon it, and live it.

By: Shane Milburn

Shane Milburn — Sat, 26 May 2007 00:48:48 +0000

I’m not sure what the point of it all is, but count me as happy to be here. I like the perspective provided by Kurt Vonnegut in “Cat’s Cradle” when he compares us to “sitting-up-mud” in the a last rites reading:

“God made mud.
God got lonesome.
So God said to some of the mud, “Sit up!”
“See all I’ve made,” said God, “the hills, the sea, the sky, the stars.”
And I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around.
Lucky me, lucky mud.
I, mud, sat up and saw what a nice job God had done.
Nice going, God.
Nobody but you could have done it, God! I certainly couldn’t have.
I feel very unimportant compared to You.
The only way I can feel the least bit important is to think of all the mud that didn’t even get to sit up and look around.
I got so much, and most mud got so little.
Thank you for the honor!
Now mud lies down again and goes to sleep.
What memories for mud to have!
What interesting other kinds of sitting-up mud I met!
I loved everything I saw!
…”
- Kurt Vonnegut from Cat’s Cradle

By: Martin

Martin — Fri, 25 May 2007 19:49:55 +0000

The past is a fiction that we use to rationalize our present actions. It provides us with a base of experience from which to launch future endeavors. Yet we must not become so obsessed with the past that we forget that the most useful characteristic of being human is the choice to change, to mutate, to evolve. Ultimately, that means learning to forget certain things while retaining their lessons as wisdom.

By: Attila Borcsa

Attila Borcsa — Fri, 25 May 2007 14:16:28 +0000

This might sound like Socrates is putting on us the burden of examination. I guess it should come naturally after one is getting mature enough.

Your context with future goals and past lessons might be well brought together by the sense of presence that maturity brings. Examining life always happens in the present, as a meeting point for experience and possibilities.