ld welcome death, (but not by suicide). Cebes asks how can that be? Socrates says he is happy to talk about death now since it is a journey he is about to take. So why are we not allowed to pursue is this good – death? It is an exception to the usual rule of the philosopher “to pursue the good.” Socrates suggests that it is forbidden because we belong to the gods, and may not destroy their possessions. Cebes objects that for philosophers (lovers of wisdom) to desire death is to desire to be parted from the gods’ care – which is not sensible as their guidance is good, the best. Socrates answers that this would be fair criticism if he did not have a high expectation of what followed life. Conversing with good men, and in the care of good masters (the gods). His philosophy will be more rewarding as well with such companions. He also mentions that the good can expect better than the bad.
SOCRATES 2 nd APOLOGY: [63c-66c] TO HIS FRIENDS CHARGE OF HIM BEING TO HAPPY ABOUT HIS DEATH A philosopher’s life is a preparation for death, and he should not fear it when it comes. Death is simply the separation of body and soul – the 2 constituents of men. Body - bound for decay, Soul - for life. And soul not the body is the business of the philosopher. He spells out the realm of soul as opposed to body: Soul – intellectual, moral, reasoning, truth, make judgements, immortal. It works best when unencumbered by the body – tiredness, hunger, desire, illness. Body – the 5 senses, pleasure/pain, appetites for food, sex, ego, pride, disease, loves, fears, desires, emotions. The senses mislead us, and distract the soul as it seeks truth. The soul, seeking wisdom beauty, and truth, avoids the distractions of the body, and this best when it is removed completely from the body. Socrates introduces an important notion of abstract ideas like justice, beauty, truth, beauty, goodness, tallness, etc. which he suggests are the real nature of something. These are pure qualities, unpolluted by the senses. These unchanging Ideas (Forms) are the only way we can comprehend anything. They are the form we use to make sense of chaotic sense inputs. (Plato went on to develop his famous theory of Forms from this line of reasoning).
Why “True philosophers make dying their profession” [66d-69e] Only after we are free from the body’s “infecting” influences are we free to enter the realm of truth. Till then – in life – we can’t attain truth. In fact the effect of the body may so contaminate the soul that it is hard for it to enter the afterlife (realm of purity), because it is a ‘breach of the divine order’. Note the idea of judgement – morality and truth are intimately linked for Socrates. “True philosophers make dying their profession” – means that for a lover of wisdom, a) the focus is on virtue & wisdom (soul) rather than senses and pleasure, and b) the ultimate physical purification of death is the ultimate goal – hence they will not fear death. Self control and courage is the practice of philosophers. Courage and self control of ordinary people has an ulterior motive – courage because they are fearful of appearing cowardly, self control because they enjoy it (self indulgence). Philosophers don’t use their emotions (like or fear) to decide what to do, but wisdom. Wisdom acts to cleanse emotions from our decisions, which is good because emotions are fickle and distract form truth. So, purity and enlightenment are necessary to enter the afterlife. This concludes Socrates “apology” – the rest of the Phaedo delves further into the problem, as Cebes still worries that maybe the soul simply disappears after death, rather than having the life Socrates has claimed [not in our syllabus].
The death scene – one of the most influential death scenes in western literature [115b-118a] Socrates tells his friends how to live well without him, and to take care of themselves He says not to fret over how to bury him, as he is not there – only his body (especially Crito – who is slow realising Socrates’ confidence). He goes to bathe – to save the women doing it after his death His f