He is particularly worried with the outcome of a thrilling fear of death on an individual’s motivation to act virtuously. To be exact fear of death makes cowardice and injustice tempting, as a petty injustice can fend off threats to one’s person and may at times prove sufficient to save one’s life. “For to fear death, gentlemen, is nothing other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. For no one knows whether death might not be the greatest of all goods for a human being, but people fear it as if they knew well that it is the greatest of evils. And how is this not the most blameworthy ignorance to believe one knows what one does not know? On this point and in this respect, gentlemen, I perhaps differ from most people, and if I were to claim that I am wiser than anyone in anything, it would be in this, that because I do not adequately know about things in the house of Hades, so I do not think I know (29a5-b6).In other words, Socrates suspects that he is wiser than his fellow death-fearing citizens because he is epistemically responsible. However, in his parting speech to those who voted to acquit him, it seems he reneges on his claim of ignorance by arguing that death is a benefit. First, he reflects on the silence of his spiritual guide, or demonian, in the proceedings that have led to his death sentence
He is particularly worried with the outcome of a thrilling fear of death on an individual’s motivation to act virtuously. To be exact fear of death makes cowardice and injustice tempting, as a petty injustice can fend off threats to one’s person and may at times prove sufficient to save one’s life. “For to fear death, gentlemen, is nothing other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. For no one knows whether death might not be the greatest of all goods for a human being, but people fear it as if they knew well that it is the greatest of evils. And how is this not the most blameworthy ignorance to believe one knows what one does not know? On this point and in this respect, gentlemen, I perhaps differ from most people, and if I were to claim that I am wiser than anyone in anything, it would be in this, that because I do not adequately know about things in the house of Hades, so I do not think I know (29a5-b6).In other words, Socrates suspects that he is wiser than his fellow death-fearing citizens because he is epistemically responsible. However, in his parting speech to those who voted to acquit him, it seems he reneges on his claim of ignorance by arguing that death is a benefit. First, he reflects on the silence of his spiritual guide, or demonian, in the proceedings that have led to his death sentence