Socrates thought that we should question absolutely everything, and even held that “the unexamined life is not worth living”. In this class, we’ll consider Socrates’ approach to the good life. And we’ll ask whether there are any beliefs we shouldn’t question.
Key Concepts:
- Socratic ignorance
- The elenchus
Have questions or thoughts about the reading? Post them on PollEverywhere, and upvote any classmates’ responses that you’d like to cover in class. We’ll address the most upvoted responses during the Q&A part of class.
Do This:
- Reminder: The last day to submit a “Living the Good Life” reflection on any prompt from the Morality unit is Friday, September 27.
- Complete your first Map to the Good Life activity before your next dialogue meeting.
Pre-Class Questions
Your responses to the following questions are due on Canvas before class. Your top 15 scores of the semester will count toward your final grade.
- In your own words, explain why Socrates thinks the oracle identified him as the wisest of all people.
- Try out the elenchus for yourself! Choose any concept you like (other than “sandwich”, which is the example in our reading) and look up its definition in any dictionary. Give a counterexample that challenges the dictionary’s definition, and then revise or replace the definition to overcome the challenge.
Living the Good Life
Reflections addressing prompts from the Epistemology unit (“Question Everything” through “Believe Your Truth”) are due on Canvas by 11:59pm on October 27. You may write up to two “Living the Good Life” reflections in the first half of the semester and up to two in the second half of the semester. You can also revise and resubmit one reflection for a new grade, within one week after your grade is posted. Your top three scores will count toward your final grade.
Think of someone you know who deeply values the truth. In what ways does this person remind you of Socrates? What significant differences do you notice? (To help you answer these questions, you may want to have a conversation with the person about what motivates them to value the truth as they do.) Based on these observations, what conclusions can you draw about the role the pursuit of truth should play in a good life? Explain your reasoning.
