Socrates: The First Philosopher to Ask, "How Do We Live a Good Life?"

Have you ever found yourself pondering what it really means to live a good life? Maybe you’ve thought about what happiness truly is, or perhaps you’ve wondered how you can live in a way that feels meaningful and right. Well, you're not alone! In fact, these questions are as old as philosophy itself, and it all started with one man in ancient Greece: Socrates.

Even though Seneca and Nietzsche are my all-time favorite philosophers, I’ve got to admit — Socrates was epic. I have to tell you about him because he’s definitely earned a special place in my heart too.

Socrates was such a rock star that all the philosophers before him are referred to as “Pre-Socratic” — he literally changed the game.

Before Socrates we had Pythagoras, who focused on numbers and harmony, Heraclitus, who thought deeply about constant change, and Parmenides, who argued that everything is actually one unchanging whole. Their focus was mostly on understanding nature, the cosmos, and how everything in the universe fits together. These ideas were fascinating, but they didn’t directly address how people should live their daily lives. That’s where Socrates comes in.

Mind you... Socrates was so deeply committed to living his philosophy every day that he didn’t leave any written records behind. Instead, he believed that the pursuit of truth and wisdom had to be lived and experienced, not just written down.

For example, instead of writing his philosophy, Socrates would spend his days in the public squares of Athens, engaging ordinary people in conversations. Through these dialogues, he challenged others to think critically and question their beliefs — because for him, that was how philosophy came to life. Most of what we know about him comes from his students, like Plato.

Socrates: The Father of Ethical Philosophy

Socrates was born around 470 BCE in Athens. Back then, Athens was a flourishing city known for its wealth and vibrant cultural scene. It was a major hub for philosophy, arts, and intellectual exchange, making it a perfect backdrop for Socrates' groundbreaking ideas. Little is known about his early years, but he was the son of a stonemason and a midwife, which likely influenced his appreciation for the craft and his philosophical approach to life.

What made Socrates stand out was his relentless focus on how people should live. Unlike the Pre-Socratics, who were mostly concerned with the natural world, Socrates turned his attention inward, to the human soul, and started asking questions that no one had really tackled before. Chief among them: How do we live a good life?

Socrates had a unique way of approaching this question. Instead of giving people answers, he asked them even more questions. He believed that we have the ability to discover truth within ourselves through careful questioning and reflection. This method, known as the Socratic method, involved probing deeper and deeper until the person he was talking to was forced to confront their own assumptions. He would ask things like, “What is justice?” or “What is virtue?” Socrates believed that if people could truly understand what these concepts meant, they could then live according to them—and that was the key to living a good life.

The Unexamined Life - How to live a good life!

One of the most famous things Socrates is known for saying is, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” 

Now, what does that mean? Well, for Socrates, life wasn’t just about going through the motions—working, eating, sleeping, and so on.He believed that to live a good life, you had to constantly examine what you’re doing and why. Reflection on your values, actions, and beliefs was key. This is why I think Socrates was such a genius. For him (and for me!) living well required looking inward, regularly questioning yourself, and aligning your actions with your understanding of virtue and what’s truly important.

Socrates wasn’t interested in superficial success, like wealth or power. He cared about the kind of person you were on the inside. He believed that living a good life meant living a life of virtue, and that could only come through self-examination. In his mind, we couldn’t just float through life without asking ourselves tough questions like, “Am I being honest?” or “Am I doing what’s right?” Without this constant examination, we couldn’t hope to live a life that was truly good.

Virtue and the Good Life

For Socrates, virtue was the key to everything. But what exactly is virtue? In simple terms, virtue for Socrates was about moral excellence—being the best version of yourself in terms of your character and your actions. To him, being good wasn’t about following a set of rigid rules or codes of conduct. Instead, it was about knowledge.

That’s right—Socrates believed that knowledge and virtue were inseparable. He famously said, “To know the good is to do the good.” In other words, if you truly understand what is right, you will naturally do what is right. This sounds simple, but think about it for a moment. How many times do people do things that are wrong or harmful because they don’t fully understand the consequences, or they haven’t thought about the bigger picture?

Socrates believed that if you educate yourself and constantly reflect on your actions, you’ll become more virtuous, and in turn, you’ll live a better life. He wasn’t talking about academic knowledge, though. He meant a deeper understanding of justice, courage, honesty, and wisdom—the core virtues that lead to a good and fulfilling life.

Socrates and the Pursuit of Truth

What made Socrates truly stand out was his unwavering commitment to truth. He believed that the pursuit of truth wasn’t something you could achieve by simply reading or listening to others — you had to actively engage in dialogue, constantly questioning yourself and others.

Socrates would often wander through the streets of Athens, talking with politicians, craftsmen, fellow philosophers or anyone who'd let him. He didn't care about titles or status, but in what people truly thought and believed. Through these conversations, Socrates revealed that many people held beliefs that, when questioned, didn’t hold up to scrutiny.

But here’s the thing: Socrates didn’t do this to embarrass people or show off how smart he was. He genuinely believed that acknowledging your ignorance was the first step toward wisdom. From this comes his most famous line “I know that I know nothing.” This wasn’t false humility; Socrates understood that true wisdom came from recognizing how little we actually know.

This approach wasn’t always popular, though. Imagine being in ancient Athens and having someone question everything you thought you knew! But Socrates didn’t back down. His commitment to this process of self-reflection and dialogue was so strong that he would rather engage in these conversations — even at the risk of making people uncomfortable — than live without searching for truth.

The Man Behind the Philosophy

Socrates wasn’t just known for his big ideas — his way of living was just as fascinating. He lived a remarkably modest and simple life, rejecting the typical material comforts many sought. Unlike the polished image you might expect from a philosopher admired by the Athenian elite, Socrates was famously unkempt. He often wandered barefoot around Athens, wearing the same worn-out cloak, and it was said he rarely bathed — hygiene clearly wasn’t high on his list of priorities! Yet, despite his ragged appearance, he was frequently invited to dine and speak among the wealthy and powerful.

Socrates wasn’t someone who cared about fame or fortune. His focus was entirely on seeking wisdom and living according to his principles.

Socrates' Death: The Ultimate Lesson

Socrates’ dedication to living a good life wasn’t just talk; he lived it to the very end. In 399 BCE, he was put on trial by the people of Athens for "corrupting the youth" and "not believing in the gods of the city." Essentially, Socrates was accused of encouraging people to think for themselves, question authority, and challenge traditional beliefs. He was sentenced to death by drinking poison.

Even in his final moments, Socrates stood by his beliefs. He didn’t beg for his life or renounce his philosophy. Instead, he calmly drank the poison as part of his sentence and even gave a final lecture to his disciples, discussing his views on the soul and the afterlife. Like I said before - Epic.

He could have chosen to reject his philosophy and avoid death, but he chose to remain true to his principles. His death became a powerful symbol of his unwavering commitment to living a life of virtue, no matter the cost.

Socrates’ Legacy: Rippling Through Time

Socrates’ ideas didn’t stop with his death—they rippled through centuries, influencing countless philosophers after him. His most famous student, Plato, carried on his work by writing dialogues that explored many of the same questions Socrates had. Plato’s student, Aristotle, went on to develop his own theory of the good life, called eudaimonia, or "human flourishing." These thinkers helped shape Western philosophy, ethics, and our understanding of what it means to live well.

But Socrates’ influence didn’t stop in ancient Greece. Socrates might have lived over 2,000 years ago, but his questions about how to live a good life are just as relevant today. His emphasis on self-examination, virtue, and moral knowledge laid the foundation for centuries of philosophical thought—and they continue to offer guidance for us in the modern world.

Whether it’s in the choices we make at work, in our relationships, or even in our personal growth, the ideas of Socrates remain powerful tools for living a more thoughtful and fulfilling life. They certainly help me. When I get the change, I reflect on whether what I am doing is wise, and according to my values. To think inwards and reflect on my life to see if what I am doing is doing good to the world. It is not an easy process, but it certainly helps.

So, the next time you’re faced with a tough decision, ask yourself: What would Socrates think?

Here I am in my room, on my reading chair. Yes, I know... that book isn't Plato (who wrote almost everything we have on Socrates) or anything serious... It's the hunger games, but... I didn't have any photos of me reading serious stuff.

This was a bit of a longer one than what I usually do, but it's hard to reduce Socrates. We barely scraped the surface... In any case, I hope you enjoyed it and learned something. All of this with the purpose of living a more examined and meaningful life. All of this to explore the core question of this blog - How to live a good life?!

As always, sending love xx

Ivan Tornado.