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The Examined Life

Mar 31, 20245 min read

The Examined Life

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Show notes > Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss self-examination. Socrates, the Greek philosopher of the 4th century BC, famously declared that "The unexamined life is not worth living." His drive towards rigorous self-enquiry and his uncompromising questioning of assumptions laid firm foundations for the history of Western Philosophy. But these qualities did not make him popular in ancient Athens: Socrates was deemed to be a dangerous subversive for his crime, as he described it, of "asking questions and searching into myself and other men". In 399 BC Socrates was sentenced to death on the charge of being "an evil-doer and a curious person". Two thousand years later, the novelist George Eliot was moved to reply to Socrates that "The unexamined life may not be worth living, but the life too closely examined may not be lived at all". For Eliot too much self-scrutiny could lead to paralysis rather than clarity. What did Socrates mean by his injunction? How have our preoccupations about how to live altered since the birth of ancient Greek philosophy? And where does philosophy rank in our quest for self-knowledge alongside science, the arts and religion? With Dr Anthony Grayling, Reader in Philosophy, Birkbeck, University of London; Janet Radcliffe Richards, Philosopher of Science and Reader in Bioethics, University College, London; Julian Baggini, Editor, The Philosopher’s Magazine and co-editor of New British Philosophy: The Interviews.

Episode AI notes

  1. Socrates advocated for self-examination as a key to leading a worthwhile life, allowing one to take control and make conscious decisions independent of external influences.
  2. Philosophical themes can be found in literature and history, as seen in works like ‘Pride and Prejudice’ where characters like Elizabeth and Darcy exhibit moral epistemology through personal growth and interactions, highlighting the integration of philosophy into various aspects of life.

Snips

[05:28] Socrates and the Importance of Self-Examination

🎧 Play snip - 1min️ (04:36 - 05:21)

✨ Summary

Socrates emphasized the importance of self-examination for leading a worthwhile life. He believed that by reflecting on values, goals, and decisions, one takes control of their life and avoids being driven by chance or others. This autonomy and thoughtful decision-making are crucial for being the true governor of oneself, ensuring that choices are made consciously, regardless of resulting happiness or unhappiness.

📚 Transcript

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Speaker 2

Well, i think socrates meant by the unexamined life is not worth living, that if you don't think about your values and your aims, your goals and and what sort of person to be and how to live Your life, then you you've yielded up the direction of your life to chance and to others and t the decisions that other people make. And then you're you're no better ready than an animal being driven about by things that happen around you. And you've lost autonomy. You're not the governor of yourself. This idea of being an autonomous and thoughtful individual who makes choices that you've reflected on, seemed to him, as it has to many moral philosophers since to be a tremendously Important value. Ndatat it doesn't matter so much whether a your your happy doing it or unhappy doing it.

[40:59] Philosophy in All Things

🎧 Play snip - 1min️ (39:29 - 40:31)

✨ Summary

Philosophy can be found in various aspects of life, such as literature and history. The works of authors like Jane Austen can be seen as philosophical, with characters like Elizabeth and Darcy in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ showcasing moral epistemology through their personal growth and interactions. This demonstrates how philosophical themes are intricately woven into different forms of art and knowledge, offering valuable insights and enjoyment to audiences.

📚 Transcript

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Speaker 1

Do you think that philosophy has an indisputable a right to the lee championship in this?

Speaker 2

Well, you're looking at me, melvin. My answer is yes, bause i think, for example, that jane austen is a very fine philosopher. She is a mie las easy if you claim everybody's philosophy tsrebut you see, if you think a bit about her novel, just just take forexample, f pride and prejudice. There's elizabeth and darcy. They make a mistake in moral epistemologyif they fail to recognize the true character of of one another's natures. And it's through a process of readjusting, recalebrating their valuation of one another that they eventually end up going down the aisle you see, and that that, in its way, is very interesting And very delicately observed aspect. It's not the only aspect. And off course, ther many other things about it which are tremendously enjoyable, n an informative. But that that is a theme in it. And so and so, you know, philosophical material to be found everywhere, in jane lawson and shakespeare, in the lessons of history, not just in literature, and in a great many resources.

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