Warum lohnt sich ein sokratisches Leben, Agnes Callard? | Sternstunde Philosophie | SRF Kultur

Socrates was a radical thinker—so radical that the Athenians ultimately condemned him to death. The philosopher Agnes Callard argues that we should emulate him in his radical pursuit of truth. For she agrees with Socrates: only a life examined is worth living. Topics in this episode: 00:00 Why should we still engage with Socrates today? 14:05 What are ‘untimely questions’? 25:35 Why must thinking necessarily be dialogical? 36:20 Why are Socratic dialogues so demanding? 43:40 The Socratic form of love Agnes Callard, Professor of Philosophy in Chicago, defends Socrates as a role model for the present day: A good life, she argues, requires that we constantly examine it and ask ourselves uncomfortable, “untimely” questions. Instead, most people organize their daily lives in fifteen-minute increments and never delve into the deeper meaning of life. For Callard, this meaning lies in the idea of ​​aspiration: the constant striving for intellectual maturity, which has nothing to do with self-optimization but much to do with recognizing one's own ignorance and yearning for knowledge. The good news: we are not alone in this striving. Just like Socrates, she believes that we can only attain knowledge through dialogue with others. She extends this human striving to the most intimate spheres: in an "ascending marriage," the lovers grow together as individuals. Barbara Bleisch asks Agnes Callard how to live a Socratic life, why Socrates was open to polyamory, and why he was willing to drink the hemlock. An original English version of this video is available here:    • Why is a socratic life worth living, Agnes...   Philosophy Hour from June 14, 2026 ____________________ ✨ New conversations with fascinating guests every week 💬 Do you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback? Then write to us at: [email protected] Program Director: 🎥 Director: Omar Siegenthaler Editors: Jolanda Fazzone, Martina Kuhn, Benjamin Küntzel, Daniel Dubach Producer: Sandra Roth Head of Production: Judith Hardegger SRF 2026 ____________________ Subscribe to SRF Kultur Sternstunden on YouTube 🔔 https://www.youtube.com/srfkultur?sub... More culture on SRF 👉 https://www.srf.ch/kultur ____________________ "Sternstunde Philosophie" fosters in-depth and critical exchange of ideas and delves into the pressing questions of our time. "Sternstunde Philosophie" spans a wide range, from current socio-political issues to fundamental philosophical questions: Who is responsible for what, what constitutes human freedom, and what determines the meaning of our lives? Our guests are prominent figures from science, culture, politics, and business – voices that stimulate thought and reflect on and contextualize current events. ____________________ Hosted by: Barbara Bleisch   / barbarableisch   Olivia Röllin   / oliviaroellin   Yves Bossart   / bossart_yves   Wolfram Eilenberger ____________________ #SRFKultur #SRFKulturSternstunden #SRFSternstunde #Philosophy #Socrates #TruthSeeking #SelfKnowledge #SRF #Culture