The Unexamined World is not Worth Living - Socrates

Just as Plato figuratively explained in his Allegory of the Cave, Socrates encouraged Athenians by stating that the unexamined life is not worth living. 'Being philosophically minded, as Socrates compels his fellow Athenians to be via question and dialogue, is a means by which we educationists pursue educational aims tentatively and cautiously, at the risk of presuming knowledge of things uncertain.' (Christou and Bullock, 18) Unfortunately philosophy is known to be stereotyped as an area of studying the thinking of abstract ideas, when in fact it is the opportunity to think about the 'radical middle' between opposing viewpoints and thinking critically. (Christou and Bullock, 14)

By exploring ideas holistically and challenging our own perspectives, we should be asking ourselves of where our ideas have originated in order to understand our potential misconceptions. Innovative thinking is one that is unique, but also adds value to bring change in the world. Imagine a world where we could think 'big picture', but how can we when we are too afraid the challenge the status quo? It's not about starting a coup d'etat or a revolution in our classrooms, but to think about what is in front of us. Chomsky stated, in his paper The Responsibility of Intellectuals, that many times we often cannot see what is happening right before our eyes. (Chomsky, 41) As a result, I wondering what strategies can we put in place for our students to acquire the 'habits of mind' to think critically and to truly 'examine' the world around us?