Introduction: Sections A

•   “The unexamined life is not worth living”- Socrates

This quote from the Greek philosopher Socrates raises the question of, why are we here? This could be examined on a grand scale such as, how was the universe created or how did our species evolve etc. But stepping away from a scientific perspective, this quote could simply relate to someone trying to find his or her own purpose in this world. Everyone in this world is here for a reason, whether it is for better or worse. Whatever the reason is, we owe it to ourselves to find out what that reason is. Living a life without purpose is like not living at all. At that point you might as well just stay in bed all day, and watch the sun as it rises and sets, slowly ticking away the hours of your feeble existence. I’ve come across people who aren’t doing anything with their life, and show no signs of doing so anytime soon. And it’s sad because I just look at them, and wonder why they are even wasting their time. Life is the grandest most miraculous wonder our universe has to offer, and yet people just waste it. They go about their day, just going through the motions as if their life is going to magically one day have meaning to it. But that’s not how it works, in order for your life to have meaning, you have to give it meaning. You have to set goals, have dreams, and just go after what you want. Because nothing in your life is just going to come to you, you have to go find it. So, what this quote to me is trying to say is, if you’re not going to live your life with the hopes of one day finding out why you are here to begin with, then you might as well not be alive at all.

     

• “It is not difficult to avoid death, gentlemen of the jury, it is much more difficult to avoid wickedness, for it runs faster than death”- Plato’s Socrates

This quote comes from Plato, one of Socrates’ many students. The context of the quote is centered on Socrates’ trial; he was to be sentenced to death for corrupting the young minds of Greece. In the eyes of the ancient Greeks Socrates’ ideas where very radical. For one, he did not believe in the gods. The ancient Greeks did not want his ideals to keep spreading and so he was put to death in 399 B.C.E. Plato came to his defense during the trial, and this is where this quote comes into play. The justice system, even in America is not always fair. In many cases it is a biased, ignorant, and corrupt part of any government. Socrates’ trial was considered to be unfair, and unjust. The juries were not allies of the philosopher, and the courts knew that when they appointed them. The jury is whom this quote is directed to. Plato knew what decision they would come to, and so he gave them this one provoking thought. This quote suggests that their actions are going to come back and bite them. That if they choose to wrongly sentence Socrates’, one day something bad will happen to them. Their “wickedness”, as Plato words it, will catch up to them.  Which I think for a lot of things is true. I feel like good things will happen to good people who are good not out of the hopes of getting something in return. Vice versa I feel as though bad people will have bad things happen to them. Agree to disagree if you must.