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Are Socretes' Arguments about Death Sound? Essay

Decent Essays

Are Socrates Arguments Sound?

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.

First of all, to prove Socrates' arguments are not sound, one must know what a sound argument is. In a sound argument all of the premises must be true. For example:

People under 18 are not eligible to vote;

Some students in college are under 18;

Therefore, some college students are not eligible to vote.

This argument is not only sound …show more content…

No one can know what the most blameworthy ignorance is. It is not an absolute truth that it's the most blameworthy ignorance; therefore, it is not a sound argument.

I have proven by the second premise that Socrates first argument is not sound. If the word "most" is taken out of that premise, then I believe it would become a sound premise. Socrates would then be stating that it is merely ignorant to think one knows what one does not know.

Another argument that Socrates had about not fearing death was:

No one knows whether death is good or evil.

To do wrong and to disobey proper authorities is knowably evil.

If something is knowably evil, one ought to avoid it unless one knows the consequence to be a worse evil.

Therefore, one ought to avoid evil even if the consequence is death. (Pace)

Premise one is a sound because it is an absolute truth that no one can know if death is good or evil because once again it is impossible to know something that one cannot know.

Premise two is not a sound argument because it is an opinion of Socrates that to do wrong and to disobey proper authorities is evil. Public authorities are set up and they are given rules to follow. Everyone does not agree upon the rules or laws in which people must obey so it cannot be an absolute truth. What one thinks is evil, another person may not.

It is hard to argue premise three as a sound argument because again Socrates uses his opinion as a truth when it is really an

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