[Book Review] "Apology of Socrates" translated by Noburu Notomi

"Apology of Socrates" translated by Noburu Notomi.
It feels presumptuous for an ordinary person like me to write a review of this book, but I hope you will forgive this as a record of my reading.
However, I also believe that it is the significance of this book for an ordinary person to find something in it, so I am posting this with all due humility. *This article uses some advertisements.

Incidentally, the reason I read this book is that it was proudly introduced as the very first book in "100 Must-Read Liberal Arts Books That Elite People Around the World Are Learning, Summarized in One Volume."
It is truly a book worthy of being the starting point for the pursuit of knowledge.

An Invitation to Dialogue and Re-reading

Although it is known as a classic among classics, before reading it, I had an image that it might be somewhat stiff and difficult for us in the modern day to approach.

However, that was a completely groundless fear; there were living words in it, as if Socrates were speaking directly to us in the modern day across time.
Of course, if one wants to truly understand the context of ancient Greece and its philosophical depth, reading it once is not enough.

To firmly grasp Socrates' intentions and the nuances of his words, one would need to read it over and over again and ponder it deeply.
I feel that this readability, combined with the invitation to re-read it for deeper understanding, is one of the charms of this book.

Learning from a Humble Attitude Toward Knowledge

What left the deepest impression on me is the "humble attitude toward knowledge" that Socrates consistently demonstrates.

He says that he is aware that he does not know.
I strongly felt that the state of "being aware that you do not know what you do not know" is an attitude that one should always write on a headband and tie around their head.

Modern society is overflowing with information, and it is an era where it is easy to fall into the illusion that we know everything.
If you look it up, it appears; if you ask generative AI, it will tell you.

However, I felt that Socrates' attitude teaches us the importance of continuing to learn, never forgetting that there are always areas beyond our own understanding, no matter how much our knowledge increases.
Reading this book, I resolved once again to keep this humility in my heart at all times and in any situation.

The Timeless Task of Care for the Soul

What Socrates repeatedly emphasizes during his trial is how important "care for the soul" is, more so than worldly things like wealth and fame.
He argues that making oneself better, that is, polishing one's soul, is the ultimate purpose of human beings.

The phrase "care for the soul" seems to point to the importance of pursuing our own inner growth and spiritual fulfillment as we live in modern society.

I feel that this task posed by Socrates is an urgent question that is still being thrust upon us after a long time.
This book showed me the importance of deepening self-reflection, re-examining one's own way of life, and "philosophizing."