I think what he meant was that if we accept things as they appear to us without ever questioning anything, then we will live meaningless and miserable lives. In the article, Russell writes: “The life of the instinctive man is confined within the circle of his private interests: family and friends may be included, but the external world is not considered except in so far as it can help or hinder this. which falls within the scope. circle of instinctive desires,” I think this is his representation of the unexamined life. He also wrote: “In such a life there is no peace, but a constant conflict between the insistence of desire and the impotence of will. One way or another, if we want our lives to be great and free, we must escape this prison and this conflict.” I think what he meant by this is that if we want our lives to be meaningful and enjoyable, then we need to study philosophy. The only way our life can be “big and free” is to question everything and accept nothing