History 1-33b—Socrates’ Wisdom Quotes with Questions
Questions for Socrates’ Wisdom Quotes
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
What does it mean to examine your life?
When can we examine our life?
What might we find out if we examine our life?
Why is an unexamined life not worth living?
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
1. Why is it wise to know you know nothing?
2. Who is all knowing?
3. How can He help us learn?
“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.”
1. What does it mean to wonder?
2. What do you wonder about?
3. Have you ever looked for answers about things you wonder about?
“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”
1. What happens to a vessel (pitcher) that is filled?
2. What happens to a fire that is kindled?
3. Why might it be better to learn like a fire instead of a filled pitcher?
“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what
he would like to have.”
1. What does it mean to be content with what you have?
2. If you are not content with what you have, why won’t you be content with what
you want?
“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss
people.”
1. What do we discuss—ideas, events, or people?
2. Why is it so easy to discuss people?
3. Why is it harder to discuss ideas?
“Do not do to others what angers you if done to you by others.”
1. What is another way to say this idea?
2. We call it the golden rule. What does it mean?
3. Can you think of a time today you followed the golden rule?
© 2012 American Heritage Schools, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for copying of the notebook pages and other online resources for
use by the original purchaser’s own immediate family. No part of this publication may be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
History 1-33b—Socrates’ Wisdom Quotes with Questions
“The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in
developing the capacity to enjoy less.”
1. Why doesn’t having more make us happy?
2. What does it mean to be selfish?
3. How can having things be selfish?
“Be as you wish to seem.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
How do you wish to seem?
If you aren’t what you want to be, what should you do?
What is a hypocrite?
Why did Jesus condemn hypocrites?
“Be nicer than necessary to everyone you meet. Everyone is fighting some kind
of battle.”
1. Why does Socrates say we should be nice?
2. Do you think he is correct? Why or why not?
“I pray Thee, O God, that I may be beautiful within.”
1. What does it mean to be beautiful within?
2. How do we become beautiful within?
3. How will we look on the outside if we are beautiful on the inside?
“The really important thing is not to live, but to live well. And to live well meant,
along with more enjoyable things in life, to live according to your principles.”
1. What are principles?
2. How do we live according to our principles?
3. Do you know what your principles are?
“If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must
take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and
depart.”
1. What is a misfortune each of you deal with?
2. Would any of you like to trade yours for someone else’s? Why or why not?
“Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who
kindly reprove thy faults.”
1. How does Socrates say we should reprove faults?
2. Why might a friend who does so be valuable?
© 2012 American Heritage Schools, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for copying of the notebook pages and other online resources for
use by the original purchaser’s own immediate family. No part of this publication may be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
History 1-33b—Socrates’ Wisdom Quotes with Questions
“All men's souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal and
divine.”
1. What does immortal mean?
2. What does divine mean?
3. Which would you like to be?
© 2012 American Heritage Schools, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for copying of the notebook pages and other online resources for
use by the original purchaser’s own immediate family. No part of this publication may be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.