Why Should You Know Yourself?
The argument for living Socratically.
Imagine that you are on your deathbed reminiscing about the most significant moments in your life. Instead of feeling proud of the life you have led, you are overcome with a deep sense of lament, regretful of the friends you have lost, the lover you should have taken as your wife, and the creative pursuit you abandoned in your youth. With just a few days left to live, you cannot help but weep over your choices, wishing that you had done something different. As tragic as it may seem, this is the reality of an unexamined life. To Socrates, such a life is not worth living; only a life that is constantly examined, reflected, and lived without self-deception, is worth living. But why is this “Socratic life” worth living? Why can I not live a life of ignorant bliss? Using Plato’s Alcibiades I and Apology, I will explain why. Through the figure of Alcibiades, we witness the tragic effects of an unexamined life on the aspiring politician, and in Apology, we contrast Alcibiades with Socrates, who has lived an examined life and is not shameful but proud of the life he has led. Ultimately, the Socratic life that engages in truth-seeking is superior to an unexamined one because the truth empowers us to be the most authentic version of ourselves.
In Alcibiades I, Alcibiades is a privileged young man about to embark on political life with an inordinate opinion of himself and an extravagant ambition. Blessed by good looks, noble birth, ample wealth, many friends, and connection to Pericles, a prominent Greek leader, Alcibiades seems destined to become the next great Athenian leader. But upon Socrates’ scrutiny, it is apparent that despite his lofty background, Alcibiades does not know anything about politics and is not fit to rule in his current state. For instance, while Alcibiades assumes he understands what justice is through an instance of cheating he witnessed in boyhood, Socrates quickly proves to him that he does not actually understand the concept because he did not learn it himself, from a teacher, or from the Athenian people(113c). When Socrates further inquires Alcibiades about the nature of the admirable and contemptible, the good and the bad, he demonstrates annoyance at Socrates by saying that “you’re going to ask me all over again who I learned it from and or how I found out myself” and asks him to “stop pushing me around”(113d-114d). When he does respond, Alcibiades contradicts his prior thinking so much so that he cries he “must be in some absolutely bizarre condition” thinking of one thing and then of something else(116e). Alcibiades also underestimates his competition as he overlooks the much greater wealth, education, and power that the Persian and Spartan Kings have in comparison to him. Finally, when Socrates asks Alcibiades what is the goal of rule, he replies with the better management of the city, like when there is unanimity, such as between husband and wife(126e). However, Socrates points out that since husbands and wives operate in separate domains, there can be no unanimity between them, nor can a city be well ordered when each citizen performs their individual work. Alcibiades is again brought to the point of self-contradiction and confessing his own ignorance(127d). Socrates concludes that Alcibiades is “wedded to stupidity…in the highest degree” to rush into politics without the proper education of the most basic principles such as the good and bad, and advantageous and disadvantageous(118c).
Alcibiades’ ignorance of basic principles is an example of a life that is unexamined. Despite not having a clear source of his knowledge, Alcibiades still shows extreme confidence in his understanding of them. By assuming knowledge without question from his childhood and the things he observes, Alcibiades has founded his entire life on a rocky foundation that, when faced with a critique like this, is bound to fall apart completely. This is demonstrated in Alcibiades’ shifts in attitude towards Socrates throughout the dialogue. At first, he is arrogant and confident. He is annoyed by Socrates’ presence as a suitor, doubts that he will provide anything useful to him with knowledge of his ambitions, and anticipates that his questions will be easy to answer (104d, 106b). Next, when Socrates’ logic defeats him, Alcibiades first grows irritated and asks Socrates to back off, but then comes to realize his lack of knowledge and is seized by incredulity. Finally, when he accepts his utter ignorance, he devotes himself to Socrates as his attendant hoping to learn from him(135e). Socrates’ examination of Alcibiades clearly awakened Alcibiades’ consciousness of ignorance through self-humiliation and shame. It is with humiliation that Alcibiades can take the first step towards attaining knowledge and virtue so as to know himself, others, and eventually the city.
In the Apology, Socrates’ defense of his accusations is an example of a life well examined and reflected. At trial, Socrates faces two sets of accusations. The first is impiety through introducing new gods. The second is the corruption of Athenian youth by teaching them to doubt the status quo. He begins his answer by clearing up a confusion that identifies him with the teachers of physical science and with the Sophists. He is not the former because he does not have knowledge of the subject, nor does he talk about it very much; he is not the latter either because he is not paid to give instruction, nor does he know anything in the first place to provide instruction(19d-20c). Socrates goes on to provide reasons for his accused crimes. Ever since the oracle of Delphi pronounced that no one was wiser than him, he has been going around Athens, challenging politicians, poets, and craftsmen to see if he was truly the wisest, because he feels he knows nothing at all(21a-22e). He concludes that not only does he know nothing, but other Athenians are equally ignorant. After a debate with Meletus, Socrates turns to the question of whether or not he feels ashamed to have undertaken an occupation that has now threatened his life. Socrates answers firmly that life or death does not matter to a man who is good in his actions. Just like the heroes who died at the Battle of Troy, he needs to remain at his post and not desert his duty(28b-e). What’s more, fear is something Socrates does not know the nature of, so he will never fear it or avoid it(29a-c). Although Socrates is found guilty and sentenced to death at the end of the trial, he does not beg the jury to acquit him or ask his family to come and pity him. The reason is that with his reputation and his age, he knows doing such things would be disgraceful(34b-e).
Apology starkly contrasts Alcibiades I in that Socrates, having lived an examined life, does not waver in defending his knowledge and way of life. There are key differences between speech founded on self-examination and speech founded on hollow beliefs. First, Socrates demonstrates that he fully understands himself and his purpose. At the start, he recognizes the difference between him and Sophists and natural scientists. Even though Socrates is deemed the “wisest” by the Gods, he still doubts their claim because he has examined himself to know that he knows nothing. An unexamined person would happily claim this title and spread “wisdom” without truly knowing if they possessed it. Second, Socrates does not assume knowledge. While he has discovered some truths, like the fact that most Athenians are as ignorant as him, there are others that he simply does not and cannot know, like death. Socrates does not fear or avoid death because, through independent examination, he raised the possibility that death could be the “greatest of all blessings for a man”(29a). Alcibiades, on the other hand, would likely echo the status quo and claim that death is something bad and therefore best avoided. Finally, Socrates lives a life that he is not ashamed of because he knows himself and is secure in the knowledge he possesses. In the face of a penalty as severe as death, Socrates does not lie or shift his argument to appease the jury because he knows, through self-examination, that he did not do anything wrong. Even when he is convicted, Socrates is still secure about his morality and integrity, enabling him to continue living his way of life to the end. This level of certainty cannot be found in a person whose beliefs and identity waver due to a lack of self-examination. Ultimately, Socrates’ truthfulness about himself and his knowledge allows him to live an authentic life without shame or humiliation, even in the face of death.
Through Alcibiades and Socrates, the Socratic life can be concluded to be a life lived with absolute certainty of one’s character, purpose, and knowledge, through the process of self-examination. It is by living Socratically that we can then claim our identity, achieve our goals, and live our lives without masquerading. Granted, Socrates’ life is an extreme version of self-examination. He devoted his entire life to examining himself and telling others to examine themselves. But his spirit for truth-seeking still stands. He teaches us that the only way to be yourself authentically is to not deceive yourself with false beliefs or conceit, especially about your status or knowledge. For instance, Alcibiades has an inflated sense of self-importance because of his privileged family background in Athens, so he overlooks the Persian and Spartan Kings who are in fact several times wealthier and more powerful than him. When Alcibiades realizes this reality, he feels humiliated for assuming his heightened status in society. Conversely, Socrates does not assume his intelligence even with divine proof of it from the oracle, choosing to investigate it instead. His examination only paints a more accurate picture of his limited knowledge and of himself. Therefore, being truthful to yourself only leads to more certainty, not shame or humiliation. However, it is important to emphasize that the examination process needs to be continuous and not periodic. A periodic examination does not constitute a full examination. For instance, you can seek jobs and choose one occupation, stay at it for a period of time, and decide to “examine yourself” and choose another occupation that you like better. However, this cycle repeats itself and is in reality just a series of false beliefs. To examine yourself fully is to ask deep within yourself the questions that concern the self, such as the kind of person you are and your purpose and goals. Then, to ensure there is no wrong shift in direction in your life, you must perform this process constantly. In this way, you minimize any chance of false conception and humiliation from appearing.
While the Socratic life is a model of goodness and virtue, the fact that Socrates was sentenced to death in Apology is disconcerting, causing grounds for doubt in his way of life. However, his execution can be seen as a testament to his commitment to his beliefs and refusal to compromise his principles, even in the face of adversity. Such a life is commended, exceptional, and ultimately worth living over a passive one. The fact Socrates was sentenced to death does not necessarily mean he was wrong in principle. It is true that Socrates’ pursuit of truth caused much disruption for the religious status quo in Athens, but truth-seeking itself is not a crime. It is only a crime when it hurts the interests of others, like the city of Athens in this case. Socrates is aware of this fact and stayed true to his way of life because to live a certain way of life is to presuppose that you believe it is good wholeheartedly and truthfully. The staunch spirit of his defense in the trial, which cost him his life in the end, is evidence of how good and just Socrates thinks his way of life is. His large following and influence to this day only back up this claim. In contrast, Alcibiades easily gives up his beliefs and unexamined way of life because he, in actuality, does not believe it is good wholeheartedly. He only follows it because he is deceived unknowingly. Thus, it is Socrates’ authenticity and truthfulness that make him exceptional, and the reason why Socrates is influential to this day and not Alcibiades. We can conclude that while living a Socratic life can cause dissent from outsiders, it is ultimately good for the self as it is exceptional and good to the highest degree.
In conclusion, the Socratic way of life is living with absolute certainty about one’s character, purpose, and knowledge through self-examination. In this way, we can be free from false conceptions to become the most authentic version of ourselves. With authenticity comes security and exceptionality. In Alcibiades I, we witness a privileged young man’s dream to become a great politician shatter due to a lack of examination of his knowledge and beliefs. Whereas in the Apology, we see Socrates being confident and staunch in the defense of his knowledge and way of life as a result of a lifelong, continuous process of self-examination. In the end, Alcibiades is not the great, natural politician he himself is assumed to be but Socrates is the unknowing gadfly he claims to be. The story of Alcibiades and Socrates ultimately teaches us that the best way to live is to be truthful to ourselves about our knowledge, capabilities, and character. That is the spirit of the Socratic life.
