Socrates discusses that people should not fear death because we do not know the qualities of death. Even though we do not know what death is, he makes some suggestions for the possibilities after death. He suggests that maybe death is just an endless sleep without dreaming, it is where we can finally come to peace with ourselves. He also suggest that maybe in the afterlife he will be able to meet heroic people in the past, where he can share his experience and question people to see whether they are wise. Even in death Socrates is still going to practice philosophy even if the place is bad. Even if he did not live a just life that he thought he did, he can examine what he did wrong and fix the problems in the after life. I agree with Socrates …show more content…
Socrates states, “death may not in fact prove the greatest of all blessings for mankind; but people fear it as if they knew it for certain to be the greatest of evil”. I agree with Socrates that we don’t know what death is, and it is possible for death to be a good thing. There is not a definite answer to what death feels like or what happens after you die. Even when we ask people about death, we are going to get infinite ideas about death. If we do not know about death then why fear something we do not know. We also cannot decide whether death is actually considered “evil”. There are many circumstances that people may think that it is better for a person to die than to live. In medical practices there is term known as euthanasia, which is intentionally ending a life in order to relive pain or medical assisted suicide. We cannot determine whether it is a bad for a person to die because this may actually end their …show more content…
He is saying that if we fear death or to live our life a certain way then we won’t accomplish anything. If we wake up everyday, and we are scared of not getting into our dream job, then we are not going to even try to do what it takes to get that job. Socrates states” Wherever a man has taken up a position because he considers it best, or has been posted there by his commander, that is where I believe he should remain, steadfast in danger, taking no account all of death or of anything else rather than dishonor.” Socrates is trying to show if we examine that what we think something is the best option in life then we need to take that course of action, even in cases where we risk dying or getting hurt it doesn’t matter. We should be living a life without fear of dying because if we didn’t we wouldn’t be living our life to the fullest. When we live our life to the fullest that means that we will have no regrets about the things we do while we are live. Socrates comes to accept this when he tells that truth in court instead of getting sympathy from the jurors. Socrates states “I have no regrets about defending myself as I did; I should far present a defence and die, than live by defending myself in that other fashion”. Even if we are scared about our future, we shouldn’t stop living our
He views death as a separation of the soul from the body when the body and soul are together it is life. He believed this so powerfully, that he did not only fear death but welcomed it. Socrates believed that he had to live a life full and hope for death. He had to convince his disciples Cebes and Simmias to be okay with his death since they did not believe in his beliefs. Socrates believed that men were the property of the gods and stated, “it is gods who care for us, and for the gods, we human beings are among their belongings. Don't you think so?” (Phaedo, 62b). Cebes was in an agreement with Socrates on that argument. They both believed that if a man kills himself he will be punished. Cebes suggest that when the soul leaves a body, it may dissipate, no longer existing as one unit. However, Socrates argues that in favor of this myth, souls after death will eventually return to the world in other bodies. Everything that comes to come from its opposites that is explained in the first argument. Simmias then argues that destroying a body will destroy the soul in it. Cebes declares that there is no proof that the souls are immortal and suffer no negative effects after each death and rebirth. Socrates tries to convince his friends with the Argument of Opposites and the Theory of Forms. Socrates hopes that the theory of forms will help explain causation and proof of the
Socrates believes one cannot fear what one does not know. He believes since no one has an absolute knowledge of what follows death in the natural world, man should not fear death. He has several arguments to back this up. In this paper I will look at two of his arguments and conclude that his arguments are unsound due to the fact that opinions are not truths.
According to Socrates in the Phaedo, philosophy is the practice of death. He claims that philosophers should openly welcome death and be willing to die. However, by no means does this imply that philosophers should consider suicide. It simply means that philosophers should be excited, rather than frightened, for death. Socrates, himself, is not scared of death because according to him, those who practice philosophy in the right way are training for death. Therefore, they are not resentful when death approaches. For Socrates in particular, life is not worth living, and death is not worth welcoming, unless one practices philosophy by seeking to obtain wisdom and knowledge. Philosophers seek wisdom and knowledge throughout their life, which is only truly obtained if the soul is separate from the body. By pursuing wisdom for a lifetime, philosophers are able to prepare for an illustrious afterlife with the gods. In doing so, they must purify themselves from the body’s immoral desires and passions. By practicing philosophy faithfully, true philosophers are able to welcome death by accepting that the only way to attain wisdom and knowledge is through striving to have the soul as it’s own entity.
Imagine the time just after the death of Socrates. The people of Athens were filled with questions about the final judgment of this well-known, long-time citizen of Athens. Socrates was accused at the end of his life of impiety and corruption of youth. Rumors, prejudices, and questions flew about the town. Plato experienced this situation when Socrates, his teacher and friend, accepted the ruling of death from an Athenian court. In The Last Days of Socrates, Plato uses Socrates’ own voice to explain the reasons that Socrates, though innocent in Plato’s view, was convicted and why Socrates did not escape his punishment as offered by the court. The writings, “Euthyphro,” “The Apology,” “Crito,” and “Pheado” not only helped the general population of Athens and the friends and followers of Socrates understand his death, but also showed Socrates in the best possible light. They are connected by their common theme of a memoriam to Socrates and the discussion of virtues. By studying these texts, researchers can see into the culture of Athens, but most important are the discussions about relationships in the book. The relationships between the religion and state and individual and society have impacted the past and are still concerns that are with us today.
Socrates argues that one shouldn't fear death because it is actually a blessing. His premises for this conclusion are as follows. First of all, either death is nothingness or a relocation of the soul. If death is nothingness, then it is a blessing. If death is a relocation of the soul, then it is a blessing. Therefore death is a blessing (Plato's Apology (1981) 40c-41c.) In examining this argument, it is valid because the premises do entail the conclusion. Socrates doesn't have to argue that death is nothingness or relocation. He simply had to show that if death is one or the other, it is a blessing.
In 399 BC, Socrates, the great philosopher in ancient Greece, was put to death under the hands of his Athenian fellow-citizens to whom he had a strong attachment, after a final vote with over two-thirds of jurymen against him. We cannot experience the situation where Socrates gave his final argument in the court of law. From Plato’s Apology, we admire Socrates’ brilliant rhetoric and rigorous logic, while at the same time feel pity for him and indignant with those ruthless jurymen. However, the question of what exactly caused his death and why was Socrates, such a remarkable thinker sentenced to death in the very society that valued democracy the most is not easy and straightforward to answer. There are multiple elements involved that finally caused this tragedy in which “a person of high moral principle is confronted step by step with a situation from which there is no escape” (38). First of all, the moral principle and belief in divinity held by Socrates are inconsistent with those of the Athenian society, implying the very crimes charged upon Socrates were not completely groundless. Secondly, the imperfect juridical system of Athens played a role in causing this tragedy. What’s more, Socrates himself, could have offered better defense in the court, also had a hand in his own death by his stubbornness regarding to his own interpretation of wisdom and piety. His rebuttal, though brilliant and insightful, was not persuasive enough to move the fellow-citizens for his wrong approach and sophistry in his cross-examination on Meletus.
Phaedo begins with a discussion between the visitors of Socrates on death and dying. Death, as defined by Socrates is the body and the soul coming to be separated apart from each other (Phaedo 64c). During this discussion Socrates makes claim that although philosophers should welcome death and that it is wrong to commit suicide without sign from the Gods. Cebes finds fault with this logic claiming that one would think the philosopher would resent being taken away from the ability to enact the will of the Gods. Socrates reply to Cebes objection is that he neither fears nor resents death because he is certain that there is a future after death. Socrates the argues “that in general such a man’s concern is not with the body but that, as far as he can, he turns away from the body toward the soul” (Phaedo 64e). Socrates says that philosophe...
In the world, many people doesn’t have interest in philosophy or books which are having subject of philosophy, and I was one of that people. However, it is good to know little bit about philosophy and what the main concern is. Socrates, who is one of best philosopher from ancient Greek, and he is one of typical philosopher that we can hear from any border of philosophy. ‘The Trial and Death of Socrates’ is the book that written by Plato, who is one of followers of Socrates, and book is divided into four parts which includes ‘Euthyphro’, ‘Apology’, ‘Crito’ and ‘Phaedo’ which is death scene of Socrates. And I want to talk about my opinion from book of Euthyphro and Crito.
...y, but one can be happy and not receive virtue. The last step is happiness yielding the good life. To have the good life, one has to achieve all of the previous steps. Socrates said, “…that a good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death” (41d). To explain that, Socrates is saying that one should not fear death if they are a “good” person because they will not be harmed; the person will live the good life of happiness and they will be rewarded by the gods after death. Socrates is all about what is pious and what is not pious or what is just and what is unjust. He believes that one should focus on being pious so that they do not have to stress and worry over death. Doing pious or impious acts are in a person’s control, however death is unavoidable and out of someone’s control. Overall, one should not stress over death, but rather enjoy the here and now.
Socrates was a philosopher who was true to his word and his death was ultimately felt by his closest friends and followers. In Phaedo, Socrates is met with his closest friends during his final hours as they await his death. At this point Socrates is prepared for death and seems to welcome it. Although death may seem like a scary inevitable fate that we all must face at one point; Socrates saw death as a privilege mainly because he believed that the soul was immortal. As a result, Socrates provides arguments as to why he believed the soul was immortal and even though all his arguments lacked unconvincing evidence, he does bring up good points. In this paper I will talk about Socrates’ most and least convincing arguments on immortality, and explain what Socrates’ problem was with Anaxagoras.
While all his friends are upset and seek to free him from his capital punishment, Socrates looks forward to his death with hope and great expectation. His optimism confuses his friends, and they question him about it. Initially, his reason for this joy is that “a true lover of wisdom, who … knows that he will never find it to any extent except in Hades, be resentful of dying and not gladly undertake the journey thither?” (Phaedo, 68a). Socrates does not let the typical human fear of death twist his philosophical beliefs. He considers all possibilities, even those contrary to the beliefs of most people. Why does death have to be scary? Simply because it is unknown? If it is unknown, could it not be wonderful? So Socrates begins to examine what he does know about life after death, and soon finds that the philosopher is the most suited to joy in the face of death. First of all, the philosopher trains “himself in life to live in a state as close to death as possible,” so it would be ridiculous for him “then to resent it when it comes” (Phaedo, 67d). The world is full of deception and false perceptions, so to find the absolute truth that Socrates believes in, the philosopher must avoid letting greed, desire, or gluttony influence his thinking and reasoning. In death, the philosopher will no longer have to contend with these trials, whether or not
Death is the one great certainty in life. Some of us will die in ways out of our control, and most of us will be unaware of the moment of death itself. Still, death and dying well can be approached in a healthy way. Understanding that people differ in how they think about death and dying, and respecting those differences, can promote a peaceful death and a healthy manner of dying.
Socrates was an insightful philosopher who had an opinion on all the basic fundamental questions. He had very strong beliefs that he willed others into believing through questioning and proving ignorance in others beliefs. He has particular views on every fundamental question and particular views on how people should live their lives. He says God has spoken to him about philosophy and says that it is his destiny and it is his calling in life. Through philosophy he searches for answers to the fundamental questions and gains wisdom and knowledge. The fundamental question of condition is the question of what, if anything, has gone wrong with the world? The question of solution is what can fix the problem? Then there is Death which asks what happens
Socrates was a wise man who realized that life was not something that could be easily understood. He knew that questioning life would lead to a stronger conception of life and reality. When he stated that “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Plato 45), he truly meant that without questioning life, one would not be truly living. Actions would have no understanding of being right or wrong. For Socrates, a man who believed that life should be based on what was right, there would be no greater wrongdoing.
Socrates also believed that philosophers look upon death with good cheer and hope. This I find