A system of morality that is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception that has nothing sound in it and nothing true.
SocratesRead
I know you won't believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The essence of human excellence lies in the ability to engage in self-reflection and critical questioning of our beliefs and actions.
This quote by Socrates emphasizes the importance of self-examination and the practice of questioning both oneself and others as a path to achieving the highest form of human excellence. It suggests that true wisdom comes not from accepting ideas without scrutiny, but from a constant pursuit of understanding and challenging our perspectives, which ultimately leads to personal growth and enlightenment.
Themes
ExcellenceQuestioningSelf-ReflectionWisdomGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a personal development workshop to inspire participants.
More from Socrates
All quotes βThe poets are only the interpreters of the gods.
SocratesRead
I am wiser than this man, for neither of us appears to know anything great and good; but he fancies he knows something, although he knows nothing; whereas I, as I do not know anything, so I do not fancy I do. In this trifling particular, then, I appear to be wiser than he, because I do not fancy I know what I do not know.
SocratesRead
The unexamined life is not worth living.
SocratesRead
When I was young, I believed that life might unfold in an orderly way, according to my hopes and expectations. But now I understand that the Way winds like a river, always changing, ever onward.. My journeys revealed that the Way itself creates the warrior; that every path leads to peace, every choice to wisdom. And that life has always been, and will always be, arising in Mystery.
SocratesRead
Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued." "It is not living that matters, but living rightly. The unexamined life is not worth living.
SocratesRead
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Dissonance / (if you are interested) / leads to discovery.
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The search for the truth is the most important work in the whole world - and the most dangerous.
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There is nothing so good for the human soul as the discovery that there are ancient and flourishing civilized societies which have somehow managed to exist for many centuries and are still in being though they have had no help from the traveler in solving their problems.
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To rise from error to truth is rare and beautiful.
Victor HugoRead