Greek (Ancient) term (edited): unexamined life

ἀνεξέταστος βίος

From this page:
http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2012/01/the-examined-l...

In quoting Socrates' prescription, it is standardly translated as "unexamined", with the implication that it is one's own life that needs examining. Liddell and Scott (the big one) gives two meanings, (a) not searched out, not inquired into or examined, (b) without inquiry or investigation, and refers to the line from Apology 38a5 in giving the latter meaning. An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (the Middle Liddell) reinforces the point by giving (a) not inquired into or examined, (b) uninquiring, and again links Plato (without a reference to the Apology) to the latter meaning. On the scope for a verbal adjective to have both active and passive meanings, see Smyth's Greek Grammar, page 157, paragraph 472.

Liddell and Scott's decision to link Plato to (b) and not (a) does not in itself prove anything. I assume that they simply followed the opinion of Plato scholars as to the translation. But if that is a good way to read the text, the prescription looks quite different, and less easily dismissed. It would amount to saying that you should enquire into things and strive to find out the truth about the world. You might yourself be a main object of your enquiry, or you might turn your gaze outwards. Many who do not pursue an academic career might agree that the intellectually slothful life was inappropriate for human beings, even though they would probably not accept Aristotle's view that it is in the life of contemplation that perfect eudaimonia is to be found (Nicomachean Ethics, book 10, section 7).