Phaedo by Plato Essay examples - 2494 Words

Phaedo by Plato The opening of Platos Phaedo finds Socrates constructing a defense of the philosophical life. When consideration is given to the status of philosophy in Greece at the end of the fifth century BCE, such a defense seems unnecessary and, at the same time, difficult. This is because ancient Greece provides us with the origins of philosophy, and yet this particular period in history serves as a good demonstration of the publics general distaste for and persecution of it. Several philosophers, including Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, and Protagoras, were ridiculed and attacked for their beliefs. In spite of these social deterrents, Socrates remained faithful to his life long pursuit, even though it led to his demise.†¦show more content†¦Socrates believes that the entire philosophical endeavor is a preparation for death and that the true philosopher looks forward to dying. His students, however, cannot understand why the philosopher should want to die, and Socrates hopes to dispel their fears of death while bringing them to an awareness of a figurative death where desires cease to control the soul . In addition to noticing the figurative nature of death, he also wants them to give further consideration to the literal death as well. The distinction between these two types of death, figurative and literal, creates two possible avenues for the philosophical life. Socrates defines death as the release of the soul from the body . This definition implies both a view of death as placing distance between the soul and the body during this life and a complete separation at the moment of death. The responsibility of the philosopher is to seek liberation here in this life and, in so doing, to prepare for the afterlife, as preparation for both the literal and figurative deaths coalesce into a single activity. Liberation here in the visible realm comes from recognizing the hindering function of the body in the souls search for knowledge. Socrates comments that a soul associated too closely with the body will beShow MoreRelatedPhaedo by Plato1189 Words   |  5 Pagessee the importance of sensory experiences in order to provide answers about the natural world. Each view has their benefits and drawbacks but each play a vital role in the discussion about knowledge. The philosopher Plato is considered to be a rationalist thinker. In Plato’s Phaedo, he shows the reader that the five senses are not what one should rely on. The senses do not provide us with truth. One’s surroundings are constantly changing thus, their senses must change with them. For example, inRead MoreThe Apology And Phaedo By Plato Essay1682 Words   |  7 PagesThe Apology and Phaedo by Plato are two different books describing what is like to be a philosopher per Socrates believes. These two books take place in two different scenarios in Socrates’ life, The Apology takes place in a court room where Socrates is to defend himself from false charges brought to him by Meletus who is acting as the prosecutor. Phaedo, on the other hand, takes place in a prison cell post judgment on the day of Socrates execution. Hence, The Apology and Phaedo appeared to displayRead MoreEssay about Phaedo by Plato942 Words   |  4 Pages Phaedo is an account written by Pla to of the last conversation of Socrates’ before he will be put to death by the state of Athens by drinking hemlock. The dialog itself seems to recount Plato’s psychological, Metaphysical, and epistemological beliefs rather than an accurate portrayal of Socrates’ last conversation . The dialog addresses three main arguments for recollection including the argument of opposites, the argument of recollection, and the argument of affinity. Plato’s arguments in theRead MoreHarmony Theory In Phaedo By Plato1498 Words   |  6 PagesIn Phaedo, by Plato, Phaedo recounts an incident with Socrates. The story starts with Socrates opening up saying that Philosophers should not only accept death, but welcome it. After all, although the body will pass, the soul is able to live on because it is immortal. He uses a lot of his intuition to back up his claim, but the main rationale is the Argument of Affinity. He claims that the world is very binary. Things are either inc orporeal and invisible, or not. The body is physical, visible andRead MoreThe Flaws of Plato ´s Phaedo Essay1306 Words   |  6 PagesPlatos final argument in Phaedo for the immortality of the soul is one of the most interesting topics of all time. It goes hand to hand with the application of the theory of forms to the question of the souls immortality, as Plato constantly reminds us, the theory of forms is the most certain of all his theories. The Phaedo is Plato’s attempt to convince us of the immortality of the soul by using several main arguments. These include the argument of forms and the law of opposites. In the finalRead MorePlato s Phaedo For The Immortality Of The Soul1701 Words   |  7 PagesPlato s final argument in Phaedo for the immortality of the soul is one of the most interesting topics of all time. The argument of whether the soul exists has been debated for years and even today. It goes hand to hand with the application of the theory of forms to the q uestion of the soul s immortality, as Plato constantly reminds us, the theory of forms is the most certain of all his theories. The Phaedo is Plato’s attempt to convince us of the immortality of the soul by using several main argumentsRead MorePlato s Phaedo : The Soul And The Body1409 Words   |  6 PagesSaila Sanders PHIL 011 Altshuler 25 September 2014 Plato’s Phaedo: The Soul and the Body In the Phaedo, Socrates proposes that the soul is immortal. Despite being a seemingly counterintuitive understanding, Socrates offers arguments for the soul’s immortality and expresses his view between the soul, or mind, and the body. Socrates practices reasoning to establish his philosophy on the concept of the soul and all that it necessitates. He rationalizes four theories of the immortality of the soulRead MoreComparing Plato Five Dialogues Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo By John M. Cooper1009 Words   |  5 Pagesin the world. While this exist in the world some of the things that bring people the most happiness in life is achieving a good education, treating others equally, and loving those around them. An example of this within Plato Five Dialogues Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo by John M. Cooper is the following. â€Å"Men of Athens, I am grateful and I am your friend, but I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able , I shall not cease to practice philosophy, to exhortRead MoreWhy Does Plato Think That the Soul Is Immortal? Is He Right? Discuss with Close Reference to Phaedo 102a-107b.1609 Words   |  7 PagesWhy does Plato think that the soul is immortal? Is he right? Discuss with close reference to Phaedo 102a-107b. The Phaedo is Plato’s attempt to convince the reader of the immortality of the soul using four main arguments. These include the argument of affinity, recollection, Forms and the law of opposites. In the final passage of the Phaedo, (Grube, 2002:102a-107b), Plato provides his ‘Final Proof’, despite seeming like the most conclusive argument it is not necessarily the most convincing. PlatoRead MorePlato s Apology And The Apology1591 Words   |  7 PagesIn this paper I will discuss how Plato s Apology and Phaedo have difference ideas of what it means to be a philosopher. I will explain how in the Apology, the philosopher is wise in how he/she understand that they are wise because they know that they don t know, and in Phadeo the philosopher knowledgable and are concern in gaining more knowledge. In Plato s Apology we learn about Socrates life and who he really is. In platos Apology a philosopher is a wise person because he understands that