Relationship between one's principles,the investigation of truth and how to lead one's life - Essay Example

Philosophy There are certain principles that a person is required to follow in his life. These principles allow one to be accepted by his society, and give him a clear conscience. They make sure that he does not get into trouble of any sort with anyone. Then there is the investigation of truth. A person should know what is really going on and what he is expected to do or say. He should question the things around him, his beliefs and religion in order that he finds a logical and rational explanation behind everything and finds out the truth as it is.

The person would then conduct his life according to the principles discussed and the truth he finds out. The three are clearly related to each other as while living a person should be following those principles and he would be required to know the truth too. Socrates had been imprisoned due to speaking out his mind and was scheduled to be put to death. All because he had been investigating truth and said what he thought was right. He was not given the freedom of speech. However, when Crito asked him to escape and get away from the injustice, he did not agree and felt that he should follow the common principles of those times; he thought that the rules are for everyone and should be for him too.

In Antigone we see a similar situation. Sophocles says God’s law is greater than that of man and he did that in order for the population to be safe from moral destruction (Johansen 96). Another theme is that of civil disobedience when Creon and Antigone have differing viewpoints. While Creon feels that the law should be followed whatever it is, Antigone feels that the state law is not absolute, and that the law of gods is much greater and more to be followed. In fact, his view is that the state law can be broken if need be to follow the law of gods.

That is, he clearly prefers gods’ law over the state law which is made by mortals. Socrates once said: “The unexamined life is not worth living”. He said this when on trial for telling his students to challenge the beliefs they have been fed. By this Socrates clearly meant that it is better to die than to live a wasteful life and not examine the environment around or do anything for the society (Templeton 93). Examining one’s life makes a person happier. Everyone has problems and difficulties in his life together with the happiness.

Now if a person examines his life he would have a better map of his life as compared to one who does not. And a person with a map would be better able to lead it than the one without. If a person is in denial of the ideas he gets regarding his actions or thinking he is only wasting his life. He is living a superficial life. He should be open to questions. Socrates used to seek knowledge. He was more toward finding out things than trying to put someone down. And that is how a person should be.

One should not just be after worldly pleasures or gaining status; he should genuinely seek knowledge, live a meaningful life, and help out each other in the various aspects of life. Works Cited Johansen, Karsten Friis. A history of ancient philosophy: from the beginnings to Augustine. Routledge, 1998. Templeton, John Marks. Worldwide Laws of Life: 200 Eternal Spiritual Principles. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Foundation Press, 1998.