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As a point of clarification, I believe Socrates’s statement that an unexamined life is not worth living is not entirely correct. I think everyone’s life, regardless of how short or long and how eventful or not, is a wonderful gift from God and is a cause for thanksgiving and celebration. That notwithstanding, Socrates is still one of my favorite philosophers, along with Plato, Epictetus, Cicero, and Chesterton. I like Socrates because he was unique in his search for wisdom. Socrates knew that he did not know, and because of that realization, he concluded that he was wiser than his contemporaries. They pretended to be knowledgeable and intelligent, but in reality, they were not.
In simple terms, Socrates sought wisdom by asking questions of supposedly wise men. He began the discussion by first asking the other person to define the terms that were the subject of the argument. His questioning, which was a logical first step, forced the other person to begin to think critically and more clearly. In his approach, Socrates was not always successful. However, from his method, we have a great tradition that has come down to us. To wit: If you would argue with me, let us first define our terms so that we have mutual understanding. Today, we would say let’s be on the same page.
I believe that Socrates meant that we should be serious students of our own lives, by seeking self-knowledge and self-awareness. The acquisition of self-knowledge and self-awareness would appear to be easy, but in reality, such knowledge is a challenge for most human beings. The great lesson here is that must be our focus if we are to live our lives to the fullest. In that sense, Socrates was more than correct; he was both wise and enlightened.