What it means to be humanIn this lesson, from Athens to New York, we students are asked to reflect on four very challenging questions that force us to relate to our place in society. First we were asked: “What does it mean to be human?”. Next we were asked, “What does it mean to be a member of the community?” and “What does it mean to be moral, ethical, and just?” We were then asked to go further and think: “How do individuals and communities respond to differences in race, class, gender, ethnicity, etc.?” Then, reading the works of others such as Plato's “The Path and Death of Socrates” and Sophocles' “Antigone,” we began to observe how Socrates and the characters in Antigone addressed their place in society and their humanity in a different society . , Ancient Greece. The days of ancient Greece were a time when few defied those who ruled them, and those who did usually found a similar fate, execution. Socrates met the same fate after the trial documented by Plato. He has been accused of corrupting the youth with his unconventional thoughts on the progress of his society. A society and a life he had such devotion to that he would do anything. Socrates felt that his teachings were for the best of this community. Through his voice Socrates gave back to Athens everything she had given him, so he felt part of the community. Unfortunately, Socrates refused to accept that he could not question those in positions of authority and paid the price. with his life. He willingly gave his life to the authorities and laws that he complied with throughout his life. Even when Crito, a friend of Socrates, offered him a way out, an escape that Socrates rejects... middle of paper... in our community, we have an innate desire to improve our lives and our environment, as Socrates illustrates for us again and again. We believe in a higher power, a devotion strong enough to evoke a responsibility to a being no one has ever seen. The most important thing that makes us human is that we have a mind that thinks about the complexities of life and a heart that breathes the love that those around us exude. And despite all the adventures of love and war, there is one thing that remains constant. Every human being defines morality, ethics and being part of a community for himself. It is not, however, the only social definition, or each individual's definition of these things that we should all be looking for in this world. Instead, we should seek the ability to accept many different translations, while remaining faithful to our own.