Philosophy
In ancient Greece, when visitors went to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, the very first thing they encountered there was an inscription chiseled on the entrance: "know thyself." While many people today think of this as an invitation to meditative self-reflection, this was simply a warning for humans to know their place, to understand that they are mortal, and that any pretension to wisdom, power or hubris would be swiftly punished by the gods.
Perhaps one of the contributing factors to the more introspective meaning of this phrase comes from the fact that Socrates argued, most famously in Plato's celebrated dialogue Apology, that "the unexamined life is not worth living." Human beings have the unique ability of contemplating their beliefs, values and choices, and of questioning the established order and trying to come up with novel solutions and alternatives to the reality and the tragedy of existence. Taking this maxim seriously, however, is no easy task. As you can hear in the wonderful dramatization of Plato's Apology below, when Socrates admonished his fellow citizens to wake up from their dogmatic slumber (to borrow a phrase from Kant), they decided it would be easier to kill him than to start thinking for themselves...
Will you dare to know yourself? To live the examined life? To question the status quo and risk ridicule, threat and loneliness?
- Who Is Better Able To Philosophize? The Young Or The Old?
The Republic of Plato contains many philosophies and the philosophers who create them. The philosophers of the Republic of Plato express in depth interpretations of the world that reveal their amazing intelligence. These interpretations are argued and...
- "know Thyself" - Socrates Advises Alciabades - Who Wants To Put Himself Forward For Political Office.
Part A - The Importance to ?Know Thyself? (and to Know What the ?Self? Actually Is) ? and then Part B - Tips On How To Find the Correct Spiritual Path for You. The following two blog posts were originally written as one evening presentation - talk. I...
- 7. Socrates' Death And Was It Justified...
How did Socrates die? Do you think his death was justified? Explain your answer Socrate's road to death started when the Oracle at Delphi stated no one was wiser than Socrates. Socrates felt the oracle was wrong and just a paradox. He questioned...
- The Examined Life
While defending himself against his accusers (at least in Plato's Apology), Socrates uttered a sentence that has captured the essence of philosophy and that has reverberated through the centuries: "The unexamined life is not worth living." More than...
- Newt Gingrich - Atheist Islamist Takeover
In Plato's classic dialogue The Apology, Socrates is impeached on charges of impiety. The prosecutor, Meletus, argues that Socrates is an atheist, and that Socrates believes in gods not approved by the state. How could Socrates believe in gods and...
Philosophy
Plato - Apology
Perhaps one of the contributing factors to the more introspective meaning of this phrase comes from the fact that Socrates argued, most famously in Plato's celebrated dialogue Apology, that "the unexamined life is not worth living." Human beings have the unique ability of contemplating their beliefs, values and choices, and of questioning the established order and trying to come up with novel solutions and alternatives to the reality and the tragedy of existence. Taking this maxim seriously, however, is no easy task. As you can hear in the wonderful dramatization of Plato's Apology below, when Socrates admonished his fellow citizens to wake up from their dogmatic slumber (to borrow a phrase from Kant), they decided it would be easier to kill him than to start thinking for themselves...
Will you dare to know yourself? To live the examined life? To question the status quo and risk ridicule, threat and loneliness?
- Who Is Better Able To Philosophize? The Young Or The Old?
The Republic of Plato contains many philosophies and the philosophers who create them. The philosophers of the Republic of Plato express in depth interpretations of the world that reveal their amazing intelligence. These interpretations are argued and...
- "know Thyself" - Socrates Advises Alciabades - Who Wants To Put Himself Forward For Political Office.
Part A - The Importance to ?Know Thyself? (and to Know What the ?Self? Actually Is) ? and then Part B - Tips On How To Find the Correct Spiritual Path for You. The following two blog posts were originally written as one evening presentation - talk. I...
- 7. Socrates' Death And Was It Justified...
How did Socrates die? Do you think his death was justified? Explain your answer Socrate's road to death started when the Oracle at Delphi stated no one was wiser than Socrates. Socrates felt the oracle was wrong and just a paradox. He questioned...
- The Examined Life
While defending himself against his accusers (at least in Plato's Apology), Socrates uttered a sentence that has captured the essence of philosophy and that has reverberated through the centuries: "The unexamined life is not worth living." More than...
- Newt Gingrich - Atheist Islamist Takeover
In Plato's classic dialogue The Apology, Socrates is impeached on charges of impiety. The prosecutor, Meletus, argues that Socrates is an atheist, and that Socrates believes in gods not approved by the state. How could Socrates believe in gods and...