Argument Paper "Plato's Apology"

In Socrates' argument, there are two premises for the first premise of this argument, that death is either nothing, or a relocation of the soul(40 c). The first premise in this argument is that death is nothingness. The first premises in support of this is that a dreamless sleep is like nothingness. Second, dreamless sleep is a pleasant experience(40 d). Thus, using analogical reasoning it can be said that since death is like nothingness, it is like a dreamless sleep as it also provides an experience of nothingness. Furthermore, since death is like dreamless sleep it can also be said it is a pleasant experience like dreamless sleep(40

This is the start of a whole paragraph, or a long line of Socrates rather, in the dialogue dedicated to the welfare of his children. That he say that it would not make any difference if Socrates is alive or dead, for even if Socrates escapes and hides at Thessaly, surely he would not deprive his children Athenian citizenship, more so, it’s education, then he would still not be with his children, and for that, his friends would take care of them. It is not that his friends would not take care of his children if he’s dead, for if they are really friends to him, they surely will.

He knows that when he is put to death, they will be the ones at a loss of his knowledge and true wisdom. He still believes he has gained no reasons to think that he can lose in death as his acts were not for material gain (28-29). Socrates has shown no fear for being hated by the majority of Athens, yet still finds himself being accused of serious crimes leading to his death.

If I were to be presented with the opportunity to escape a prison, in which I would be certainly put to death, I would gladly take that opportunity. I am neither a 70 year-old man nor as unquestioning of Athenian law as Socrates. I would value my life, and what I could possibly do with the years I had left, over abiding to Athenian law. Socrates is seen through the writings of Plato as a wise and moral man; yet, he chooses to die, leaving his sons to grow up without his wisdom and teachings. After he is found guilty, he says, “So he proposes death as the penalty.

I had heard of Socrates before in high school, and knew that he was considered by many to be a very important person. Although I did not know just how important he really was to philosophy. Previously I was very reluctant to think about problems such as life after death. Once again I found thinking about these things to be a very uncomfortable experience. Once I started reading the text however I found myself intrigued. I did find Socrates’s idea that his soul would simply separate from his body after death, to be quite silly.

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

After reading the excerpt from the book, I found neither side of the argument to be particularly strong, though Socrates does tend to favor side B. The passage begins with Socrates explaining the difference in the opinions one may have on the subject of death. Side A, he defines, is when a person dies he or she enters a sort of sleep-like state. A powerful, yet peaceful, dreamless state. The person has no perception of the outside world and feels absolutely nothing for the rest of eternity. The argument for side B however, contains the idea that the departed persons soul is transferred from its home in the body to another place, perhaps heaven or another location. It is as if the soul lives on, continuing what it had begun in life.

Socrates has many views on death. Socrates states “For the fear of death is indeed the pretence of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretence of knowing the unknown; and no one knows whether death, which men in their fear apprehend to be the greatest evil, may not be the greatest good.” He believes he has nothing to fear. He states death is either a long and dreamless sleep or a journey to another place where only good can be found. As a result, he can encounter more old heroes and demigods and as a result gain more wisdom.

Despite his attempts however, Socrates is ultimately sentenced to death by the Athenian council. Although the trial concludes with the life of Socrates, he accepts the verdict and is quite welcoming to the idea of death. Socrates concludes that since no mere man knows what lies after death, it would be foolish to fear it. Thus, Socrates has been silenced,

Fearing Death Socrates is taken to trial by his accusers for damaging and undignified the minds of the youth and not believing the gods, but believing in his own conception. Basically what Socrates did was encourage youth to question their authority and values. Socrates argued that he could not be charged with corrupting the youth because then that would mean that everybody helps the youth. And if he did not mean to damage the youth then he should be instructed not punished. Socrates explains that his accusers charge and reasoning are not logical and do not make sense therefore, he should not be punished.

However, when death approaches, Socrates accepts it. This brings me to the following question: Why does Socrates seem content with the idea of dying, rather than trying to fight and escape it? It almost seems as though Socrates hits a point of realization that he will not be able to fight the council. I found it very interesting that at the end of the speech, he was ready to take on death. Socrates states that “death would be a wondrous gain” (40d).

In Plato’s Apology, Socrates takes a stance on death by saying that to die is basically equivalent to being blessed. He backs this statement with two arguments as to the possibilities of death. From his perspective, death with no afterlife is to have a lack of awareness or existence. He states that in this nonexistence, death would be like sleeping an eternity. To him, this would feel like a night of deep, restful sleep with an absence of dreams; something that is favorable in his eyes. His second argument states that death with afterlife would also be the opposite of a punishment. Death with an afterlife would take him to be judged by the Gods, who were righteous in their own lives. To Socrates this would be inherently better than being judged by those who claimed to call themselves “jurors” without being just. In this afterlife, Socrates would also have the chance to speak with far more interesting and relatable people than those he was living among.

This argument was made to support Socrates decision of not killing himself and waiting for his time to come. As possessions of the Gods, a man does not have the right to take his life, should respect their owners and not harm them self, and take care of them self until their owners decide otherwise. Death plays a role in the study of philosophy because it is an even in ones life that can never be avoided. There are also many arguments and questions to ponder about death such as after life, suicide, and the soul, which lead to many philosophical, debates and

First, it could be a contrary stand to his claim, which he indicated that death might be a good thing or a gift that many people are not conversant with. Again, Socrates stated that, instead of the known social injustice and evils, better take the path of death, which possibly may lead to a better and happier life. In his defense, a reasonable person may start to doubt his notion about demise because, if he genuinely didn’t fear this rite of passage, he couldn’t have established a defense dialogue with the judges. However, accepting the verdict was the only appropriate option for his

Joe Arce 19 Sept 2011 Socrates Vs. Gilgamesh Socrates’ view of death in the Phaedo, Crito, and Apology is complex. His argument tries to prove that philosophers, of all people, are in the best state to die or will be in the best state after life because of the life they lead. Socrates’ views are sharply contrasted in The Epic of Gilgamesh. In fact, he would probably say that Gilgamesh had not lived the proper kind of life and his views of life, and death would lead to an unsettled existence in the afterlife. Socrates’ view of death, from his opinions on the act of dying, the state of the soul after death, and the fear of death, differs from that of The Epic of Gilgamesh to the extent that Socrates would refute every belief about death