Section 01 — The Examined Life (LBS 101)

Section 01 — The Examined Life

Course: LBS 101 – The Mental Gym

Learning Session

Explore These Materials: 1. Read (45 min) — Plato, Apology (Socrates’ defense, excerpts); Montaigne, Of Experience (selections).
2. Watch (60 min) — What Is the Examined Life? (intro lecture); Michael Sandel: Justice (clip on moral reflection).
3. Listen (30 min) — Philosophy Bites: Socrates and Self‑Examination.
4. Reflect While Engaging — Note moments you changed your mind and why; list 5 questions you want to live with this year.

Key Quote Box

Write one quote from today’s materials that you want to keep:
“_____________”

Practice

  1. Life Timeline — Sketch 10 turning points; note the question behind each.
  2. Dialogue with Self — Write a Socratic dialogue (Q&A with yourself) about a belief you hold; identify assumptions and counter‑examples.
  3. Habits of Examination — Define 3 practices you’ll use each chapter (journal prompts, conversation, nature walk, argument map).
  4. Reflection — “Is the unexamined life not worth living?” Argue for or against with examples from your timeline.

Hard Problem (Optional)

Consider the Euthyphro dilemma (Is something good because God commands it, or does God command it because it’s good?). Identify the structure of the dilemma and how it informs your approach to moral questions.