Martin Luther King defends the moral legitimacy of civil disobedience in his Letter From A Birmingham Jail. King argues that injustice doesn’t correct itself, but requires concerted effort, and that we have a moral duty to make such an effort. Like Socrates, King thought that sometimes justice requires that one challenge the status quo if …
Why Does Ethics Matter to Us?
Socrates says that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” He embodied that principle in his own life by questioning himself and questioning others, examining opinions and beliefs to clarify them and to see if they had valid supporting reasons. We often hold beliefs that we haven’t really thought about, but once we do examine …
Socrates was put to death by Athens for being a critical, questioning voice and for refusing to be silent. He argued that he would harm himself morally if he ceased to live the examined life. Thus, sometimes others, or your society feel threatened by someone who questions the status quo, or what have been unquestioned …