Personal Life Philosophy Each person is unique; we all have different ideas and opinions, we all practice different

beliefs. Our ideas about life are based on our perception, the way we see the world. The world is constantly changing and it is up to us to change our beliefs and goals with it. So it is only natural that each individual follows their own slightly modified philosophy. My life, my surroundings, my morals- these are what help to shape my personal philosophy. I believe ones surroundings play a crucial part in the way one learns to interact and function in the world. Your family is the one who raises you, instilling their values upon you; they are the ones who teach you right from wrong. As a child you are only aware of what the adults in your life tell you, you begin to make choices around what they believe is best. But as you grow and obtain knowledge you become more informed, you are able to think for yourself and begin to make more of your own decisions. I think those values taught to you as a child are always there, but you now have the choice to abide by them or to create your own belief system. Our parents have a tremendous impact on how we view the world and the beliefs that are instilled within us. This starts at a very young age and we carry it throughout our entire life, choosing to live those same beliefs or create our very own. I still have most of my life ahead of me; I have not had the time to truly live out my own philosophy yet. I would occasionally question the way things were but would never really take the time to dive into them, finding my own answers. Finding my own answers throughout my life so far has helped me grow into the person I have become today. But now this course has helped me build upon the person I have become by providing me ideas and information into how I can better myself and the way I view others and the society as a whole. Talking this class and being introduced to the book, Constructing a Life Philosophy, and the writings and teachings of some

of the great philosophers such as Plato and Socrates has made me more aware of the world around me and the importance of understanding who I am and who I want to become. With help from the works of philosophers such as Plato and Socrates, I have been starting to come up with my own ideas on topics such as reality. I plan on following my philosophy in the future by remaining open to listening to others ideas on topics, but staying true to what I believe if that is what I find to be most accurate. Socrates was a man who believed in himself. I think it is very important to have faith in yourself as it provides us with a solid foundation into the person we will become and want to be. "He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy" (Socrates). When questioned about your beliefs you should be able to have the confidence to defend what you think is right. If you are not willing to stand up for what you believe in, then maybe you are not truly a believer. No one should conform to what they think is right but should always follow what they know is right and what feels right within their heart. In 399BC an Athenian jury found Socrates guilty of corrupting the youth and interfering with the religion of the city. Socrates was condemned to drink hemlock, a poison that ended the philosophers life (Kemerling). I think that was very noble of Socrates; he could have ran away, hiding from his punishment, but instead he manned up and took responsibility for his actions. This man did not believe his ideas were wrong, but he knew he had gone against the rules of the city and he was willing to pay for breaking the laws. He believed so much in the man he had become that he wasnt willing to sacrifice that and go against what he knew was right. What he knew made him the wise man he was. In Platos Apology Socrates is to have said, "Throughout my life, in any public activity I may have engaged in, I am the same man as I am in private life" (Socrates). I believe this is how

one should live their life- in honesty. This shows the importance of being true to yourself and valuing the beliefs and morals you defend that make you who you are. You should be yourself and express your own thoughts so this way people actually like the real you, not someone you are merely pretending to be. This is the only way to fully appreciate the people you call friends and the person you look at in the mirror. Plato was Socrates student; he learned from the philosopher and took down much of his work. Plato examined the idea of reality and perception. How do we know what is real? Who is to say that my reality is not totally different from your own? How do we know what is real if we only see the world through our own eyes. If we dont value others opinions and views in life we are lacking the knowledge needed to make honest and accurate decisions. This is a great way to see things other than your own, we are not always right but if we keep an open mind to situations and ideas that are different from ours we evolve into a much more educated, understanding person. For those men chained in the cave their reality was shadows, shadows became real life to them. How can we be sure that our life is real, how do we know what is a dream? I believe that everyones reality is slightly different, based on their experiences and the way they interpret the world. I also think the people one surrounds themselves with, their environment effects the way they think. The old saying "You are who your friends are" holds true. The beliefs of the people you are constantly with begin to rub off on you, if you do not stop to think about what you personally believe is right, it can be easy to get carried away and become just one of the pack. "People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die" (Plato). We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less (Diogenes). I believe this is an important concept; people are so eager to tell others what they think that

sometimes they forget to listen to anothers point of view. In order to learn and become a knowledgeable human being, one must listen to others. Knowledge is the key to happiness and allows us to better understand the world from eyes of those who see it differently than us. One can learn a lot from another persons ideas, even if they do not think in the same way as you. Hearing a different opinion may open your eyes to a new idea, or sometimes simply help to strengthen your own thoughts. Diogenes was known as "the Dog." When asked why he was called this he answered "I fawn on those who give me anything, I yelp at those who refuse, and I set my teeth in rascals" (Miller, 78). This man believed in keeping life simple. He would not use a cup to drink water, for his hands could just as well perform the task. Diogenes was an outspoken man who did not care what others thought of him. He lived his life the way he saw fit and could care less if society accepted him. I think that it is good to express yourself without care, to an extent. A lot of people care too much about what others will think of them to freely express their ideas, but I would not go as far as acting like an animal to get my point across to others. I am still learning and creating my own philosophy and learning new ways to become the person I want to be and who I am proud of, everyday. My personal philosophy in life is to treat others with the same respect as I would like to be shown and the love that everyone deserves. Life is a wonderful gift and we should live it as such!

Bibliography "Diogenes Quotes - BrainyQuote." Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/diogenes.html>. Miller, James. Examined Lives. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2011. "Plato Quotes." Find the Famous Quotes You Need, ThinkExist.com Quotations. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://thinkexist.com/quotes/plato/>. "Socrates." Philosophy Pages. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/socr.htm>. "Socrates Quotes - Page 3 - BrainyQuote." Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/socrates_3.html>.