ABSTRACT
This chapter considers a notion of self-examination from ancient times and weighed its merits. It hopes to have made it at least plausible that Socrates' understanding of self-examination has value, and this value is not just in its ability to help us appreciate the failings of people. Socrates' conclusion seems to vindicate the oracle's pronouncement while still making sense of why he tells his jurors that he does not have knowledge that could be used to corrupt the youth of Athens. The chapter also considers a reinterpretation of Socrates' dictum making it both more plausible and interesting than its more typical construal. The unexamined life is not to be lived. Just a little reflection reveals how this differs from the original Socratic Dictum. The unmusical life is not to be lived. According to the Musician's Dictum, one who lives her life without music is missing something important even if her life is still worth living in its absence.
