The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear that question is a beloved passage from Psalm 139:23-24 (NASV): In modern times, the phrase has come under scrutiny for being elitist. The most fulfilled persons I've known have been deeply aware of their own strengths and have taken on assignments, jobs, careers, friendships, partners, experiences, adventures, projects and pursuits of all kinds that capitalize on those strengths." Critics of the idea claim that only the elite can live an examined life. That said, I had contacted him after reading Living An Examined Life. And I’ve used what I learned to drive a 44 year career in the technology game. The philosopher was probably misunderstood, like the Oracle of Delphi often was. An examined life for Cicero is based on integrity and service whilst Seneca is to have meaningful goals. But what does it mean to live an examined life? Socrates said that an unexamined life is not worth living. Being silent implied his agreement with the government, and in his eyes, this equated to living an unexamined life. I studied philosophy, sociology, psychology for years when I was young trying to understand how people think. Source: history. It also enables one to make informed decisions about ones life. Unwilling to live that type of life, Socrates killed himself. “Living the Examined Life is a gift of rare gold: the accumulated logos of a life lived deeply and fully, generously shared and beautifully crafted. In conclusion, when he speaks of the importance of living an examined life he is of the mind that such examination will allow one to discover an objective meaning in life. Living the examined life is really about thoughtfully questioning your choices, engaging with your actions, and being willing to change and grow. In the book, Dr. Hollis argues that we are free to choose to become the person we believe we are and want to be. With reference to Socrates, life is worth examining by questioning the greater or lesser degree. An Alternative Interpretation to Socrates Dictum. Whilst, Socrates see it as becoming wise and humble as human. Professor Richard Kraut wrote an article in 2007, called “The Examined Life.” So, what did Socrates really mean? In some cases, the unexamined life is better than the examined life. "We need to be introspective to live an examined life. Conclusion. James Hollis bridges profound psychological insight and practical application. This objective meaning, for Socrates, consisted most of all in living virtuously and coming to as complete a knowledge as one can of the divine. Examined life assists one to deal with moral problems (Kagan). An examined life enables one to think critically. Fyodor Dostoevsky defines examined lifelike human’s resistance from evil and misery. Living an examined life calls for one to strive for excellence. 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