“To Examine” or “Not to Examin

The stories of Socrates and Ivan Ilych disclose two different attitudes towards the

examined life, as well as two distinct ways of death. Socrates represents the notion that

the “unexamined life is not worth living”, thus, the examined life is worth living because

it leads to more questions; his death is peaceful and uncertain. Ivan, on the other hand,

considers the “examined life not worth living”. He feels the more one examines life, the

more pessimistic one becomes; ignorance is bliss. Unlike Socrates, Ivan’s death is more

miserable and full of suffering all the way up until his apology upon which he feels

redeemed. By observing the stories of both Socrates and Ivan, we will uncover their

attitude’s behind positions taken on the examined life, following their lives up until

Socrates believed that the purpose of human life was personal and spiritual

growth. We are unable to grow toward greater understanding of our true nature unless we

take time to examine and reflect upon our life. Unfortunately, while Socrates was

examining his own life, he managed to get himself into a bit of trouble. A

Ivan begins to understand that everyone is treating him as he, himself, treated others, with total apathy; he begins to feel guilty. He slowly begins to realize how he treated life and wonders, "What if my whole life has really been wrong?" (Tolstoy 148). On the surface, Ivan's life was the picture of success. He had risen to the top of his profession, he had married an attractive woman of propriety, and he seemed to be satisfied with the pleasantness of it all. Yet under this superficial realm , his life was empty, hollow, and completely motivated by kissing the ass of his authorities; other people’s expectations ultimately dominated this man’s life.

In any case of law, when one is considering truth and justice, one must first look at the validity of the court and of the entity of authority itself. In Socrates case, the situation is no different. One may be said to be guilty or not of any said crime, but the true measure of guilt or innocence is only as valid as the court structure to which it is subject to. In considering whether Socrates is 'guilty or not', we must keep in mind the societal norms and standards of Athens at the time. At the time of his trial, Athens was politically unstable; insecure social structures don’t like to be told they don’t know as much as think they know, as Socrates was trying to demonstrate.

An example Ivan “living up to par” with his associates is the uncomplicated nature of his marriage. “The marriage gave him personal satisfaction, and at the same time it was considered the right thing by the most highly placed of his associates” (Tolstoy 107). Hopping on the band- wagon, the social circle that Ivan took part in clearly influenced every aspect of his life, in the end ultimately spinning himself into great disarray.

Death is one of two things for Socrates: “either the dead are nothing and have no perception of anything, or it is, as we are told, a change and relocating of the soul from here to another place” (Apology 41). He underlines here the idea that only the gods know what happens after death so, it would once again, be foolish to fear what one does not know. Upon examining, Socrates concludes death is ambiguous; this uncertainty prompt with his tranquil attitudes towards dying. Unlike Socrates, Ivan Ilych experiences a far more disheartening death.

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