--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: if they did not interrogate their most…" description: "\"“if they did not interrogate their most fundamental beliefs, they would live superficial, expedient lives, because “the unexamined life is not worth li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/karen-armstrong-1053_faith_if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-f_1574280.jpg" --- # if they did not interrogate their most fundamental… ![“if they did not interrogate their most fundamental beliefs, they would live superficial, expedient lives, because “the unexamined life is not worth living.”7” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/karen-armstrong-1053_faith_if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-f_1574280.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/karen-armstrong-1053_faith_if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-f_1574280.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/karen-armstrong-1053_faith_if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-f_1574280.jpg) > ““if they did not interrogate their most fundamental beliefs, they would live superficial, expedient lives, because “the unexamined life is not worth living.”7”” [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Without examining core beliefs, life becomes shallow and driven by convenience rather than meaning. **In simple terms:** Examine beliefs for depth. Key Takeaway Reflect on your fundamentals. Themes spirituality self‑examination authenticity Mood introspective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal journaling - therapy - philosophical discussion - educational courses Key Concepts philosophical inquiry existential meaning Questions to Reflect On - What belief have you never questioned? - How does examining beliefs change your actions? A Different Perspective Self‑examination can be uncomfortable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Unexamined life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexamined-life/) [Worth living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-living/) ## Related quotes > [The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-for-a-human-being/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The unexamined life is not worth living,’ observed Plato. But the number of people who come out of our leadership development programs saying ‘I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-observed-plato-but-the-number/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Early on in this book, I quoted Socrates's famous dictum that, 'The unexamined life is not worth living.' Let me now turn the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-coudert/early-on-in-this-book-i-quoted-socrates-s-famous-dictum-that-the/) [Jo Coudert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-coudert/) > [Socrates said the unexamined life is not worth living. But the over-examined life makes you wish you were dead. Given the alternative, I'd rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/socrates-said-the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-but-the-over/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Perhaps the single most important therapeutic credo that I have is that the unexamined life is not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/perhaps-the-single-most-important-therapeutic-credo-that-i-have-is/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Look - I understand that an unexamined life is not worth living, but do you think I could someday have an unexamined lunch?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/look-i-understand-that-an-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-but-do/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The unexamined life is not worth living. But if all you're doing is examining, then you're not living!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-leipzig/the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-but-if-all-you-re-doing-is/) [Adam Leipzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-leipzig/) > [As Socrates I believe said the unexamined life is not worth living. I believe that's true. I do believe that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-behar/as-socrates-i-believe-said-the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-i/) [Joy Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-behar/) > [In a speech, the columnist Charles Krauthammer… offered a new version of Socrates' famous saying, "The unexamined life is not worth living." In our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/in-a-speech-the-columnist-charles-krauthammer-offered-a-new-version/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [“(...)while it's true that the unexamined life is not worth living, it's also true that the unlived life isn't worth examining.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/while-it-s-true-that-the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-it-s/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [The ancient Greeks were the first ones to say an unexamined life is not worth living. They don't tell you of course what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/the-ancient-greeks-were-the-first-ones-to-say-an-unexamined-life-is/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued." "It is not living that matters, but living rightly. The unexamined life is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/not-life-but-good-life-is-to-be-chiefly-valued-it-is-not-living-that/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“We've all heard that the unexamined life is not worth living, but consider too that the unlived life is not worth examining.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/we-ve-all-heard-that-the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-but/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [It is the greatest good for an individual to discuss virtue (aka areté) every day...for the unexamined life is not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/it-is-the-greatest-good-for-an-individual-to-discuss-virtue-aka-aret/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The unexamined life is not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## More by Karen Armstrong > [If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-attention-a-novel-like-a-myth/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [A gentleman is not born but crafted. He had to work on himself in the same way as a sculptor shaped a rough stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/a-gentleman-is-not-born-but-crafted-he-had-to-work-on-himself-in-the/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [In the past some of the most influential Jewish, Christian and Muslim theologians, such as Maimonides, Aquinas and Ibn Sina, made it clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/in-the-past-some-of-the-most-influential-jewish-christian-and-muslim/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The great task of our time is to build a global society, where people can live together in peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-great-task-of-our-time-is-to-build-a-global-society-where-people/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders-or-the-bishops-or-chief/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [If we don't manage to implement the Golden Rule globally, so that we treat all peoples, wherever and whoever they may be, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-don-t-manage-to-implement-the-golden-rule-globally-so-that-we/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [After I left the convent, for 15 years I was worn out with religion, I wanted nothing whatever to do with it. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/after-i-left-the-convent-for-15-years-i-was-worn-out-with-religion-i/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“As we have seen, so many of the things we once took for granted have proved unreliable that we may have to “forget” old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/as-we-have-seen-so-many-of-the-things-we-once-took-for-granted-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Yet a personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/yet-a-personal-god-can-become-a-grave-liability-he-can-be-a-mere-idol/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“I discovered that I felt at home and alive in the silence, which compelled me to enter my interior world and around there. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-discovered-that-i-felt-at-home-and-alive-in-the-silence-which/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Each of the world religions has its own particular genius, its own special insight into the nature and requirements of compassion, and has something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/each-of-the-world-religions-has-its-own-particular-genius-its-own/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“all rightly guided religion that submitted wholly to God, refused to worship man-made deities and preached that justice and equality came from the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/all-rightly-guided-religion-that-submitted-wholly-to-god-refused-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“advocates of evolutionary theory since Thomas H. Huxley (1825–95) have found altruism problematic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/advocates-of-evolutionary-theory-since-thomas-h-huxley-1825-95-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) [Explore all 296 Karen Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“if they did not interrogate their most fundamental beliefs, they would live superficial, expedient lives, because “the unexamined life is not worth living.”7”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen Armstrong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-fundamental-beliefs-they-would/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Faith" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-fundamental-beliefs-they-would/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/karen-armstrong-1053_faith_if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-f_1574280.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/karen-armstrong-1053_faith_if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-f_1574280.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/karen-armstrong-1053_faith_if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-f_1574280.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“if they did not interrogate their most fundamental beliefs, they would live superficial, expedient lives…” — Karen Armstrong", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Karen Armstrong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“if they did not interrogate their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-fundamental-beliefs-they-would/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-they-did-not-interrogate-their-most-fundamental-beliefs-they-would/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```