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The Greatest Good for Man
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Authored by Frank Redmond, 2006
“I say that it is the greatest good for a man to discuss virtue every day and those other things about which you hear me conversing and testing myself and others, for the unexamined life is not worth living” (38a). With this challenge, Socrates sets moral philosophy, as we understand it, in motion. For the first time, it is not good enough for a man to merely understand and examine the universe that surrounds him. Now, a man must also understand and examine the universe that dwells within his own soul. The soul is the major focus of Socrates' philosophy, and therefore it is only natural that he would be among the first to be attentive to the soul's condition. For him, the soul's condition is irrevocably tethered to finding 'virtue' and the 'good' and acting in accordance with these findings. The means by which one can come to obtain 'virtue' or the 'good' is through practicing philosophy, the 'love of wisdom'. Thus, according to Socrates, the examined life is a life whereby one is in constant, coherent dialogue both with others and with oneself concerning the meaning and truth of terms like 'virtue' and the 'good'. Furthermore, the examined life is a life of action, meaning it is about the “way one should lead one's life” (500c).
In the Apology, we find Socrates living out his own philosophy to the fullest; he thereby becomes philosophy's gold-standard for the examined life. Not only does he frequently engage the jury in philosophical inquiry, but he also acts on his philosophical principles. This becomes exceptionally clear right before Socrates ends his final speech. He has been condemned to die; yet we find him still philosophizing with the jury and with himself. This heartiness is a perfect reflection on the way on should lead one's life according to Socrates. For instance, he reflects: “There is good hope that death is a blessing, for it is one of two things: either the dead are nothing and have no perception, or it is, as we are told, a change and a relocating of the soul from here to another place” (40c). He does not falter, even in the face of death. He philosophizes to the end and keeps examining, opening up new doors of possibility. In another instance, Socrates upholds his belief in 'justice'. Near the end of his first speech, he refuses to use his children as a bargaining chip, saying, and “I will not beg you to acquit me by bringing them here” (34d). He also refuses to supplicate himself to the jury, but instead leaves the decision of the jury to 'justice', the virtue of 'justice'. Socrates, as he puts it, would rather “instruct” the jury on the ways of justice than convince them by other means. This is being a good philosopher and living the philosophical life, for Socrates is examining both himself and the jury's conception of what is 'just' versus 'unjust'.
The Meno, on the surface, might appear to be a dialogue solely devoted to the question of 'virtue' and whether it can be taught; however, this is being shortsighted. Rather, the Meno is a dialogue with an eclectic taste, covering a number of topics from the recollection of knowledge to whether virtue is equal to justice. The form of the Meno is therefore in an exploratory vein. It is this eclecticism that Socrates' lauds when he says that we should be conversing on many topics, everyday, in order to understand ourselves. We should be examining each possibility and every contention even if an agreement or conclusion cannot be reached. It is the dialectical process that makes the argument philosophical; it is the back and forth conversing and argument that makes for an examined life. This is precisely what Socrates means when he says, “You will hear me conversing and testing myself and others” (38a).
In the Gorgias we delve deeper into what constitutes the examined life. Socrates here makes the distinction between rhetoric and truth, and by way of analogy, the unexamined versus the examined life. By rhetoric he means a fancy, convincing way of talking that bears a likeness to truth, but is false; it is the irrational. By truth he means what the highest, noblest of intellectual endeavors, mostly philosophy, all aim for; it is the rational. The difference between the two is striking – rhetoric is the reflection of the truth and truth is pure, unchanging form of knowledge. To Socrates, an unexamined life is merely rhetorical in value; it is a passing fancy. He compares it to pleasure, or the 'pleasant': “Some activities were concerned solely with pleasure, procured this only, and paid no attention to what might be better or worse” (500a). This is the unexamined life. On the other hand, the examined life is preoccupied with the 'good'. These people “recognized good and evil” and “possessed an art” (500b). Then Socrates asks generally, “What is the difference between the two of them?” (500c). The answer is clear. The examined life is concerned with the quest for the 'good' and eventual contemplation of the 'good'. This requires both action and dialogue with others and oneself, the ingredients of an examined livelihood.