Philosophies Relationship to Death

Philosophies Relationship to Death

"Apology" and "Phaedo" Knowledge of Death versus Belief in a Soul In Plato’s "Apology," Socrates says that he knows nothing of death while in "Phaedo" he discusses many of his beliefs on death and its philosophical ramifications. From this simple perspective it may seem as though he is contradicting himself although he, after further investigation, is not. Philosophically, the idea of death and an afterlife can be looked at from multiple non-contradictory viewpoints. Socrates talks of his lack of knowledge of death in order to define, more so, his philosophy on life. While in "Phaedo," he talks explicitly about his philosophy on death. The two discussions of death are equally important in determining Socrates’ overall philosophical outlook on life and death although the have different emphasis. They both do help to define philosophy’s proper relationship to death. In Plato’s "Apology " Socrates announces that he is not afraid of death because he knows nothing of it. His lack of knowledge of death is relative to his knowledge of living and, in that manner, helps to define his knowledge of life. Socrates, at his trial, is faced with the death penalty unless he pleads with the judges for a different sentence. The sentences that he may be able to obtain instead of death are a fine, banishment from the city, or imprisonment. Socrates refuses and accepts death. His reasoning for this decision is that the other options are most certainly evils; owing money that he does not have to people he does not want to pay, being sent away from his friends, his family, his city and his home to go to a foreign land, or imprisonment. His beliefs, though, and his teachings seem most valuable to him and any inter...

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... and an option in life’s trials. In "Phaedo," Socrates deals with the question of what is after death rather than death itself. The soul, he says, continues after the body dies, so in what situation it continues becomes an important question in life. If our souls are to continue after we die, we must be quite concerned with them during life. Life may be, in fact, what distinguishes the situation our souls are put into after death and we may be able to alter the outlook for our souls if we act more wisely. As this possibility exists, it seems only reasonable to do for our souls as much as possible during life. If, in fact, there is no after life for our souls then we have lost nothing in being prepared. Philosophies relationship to death is, as such, in revealing the questions and possibilities of death so as to allow for decisions to be made accordingly during life.