Within every person, there is an immortal soul. Immortal meaning that after death the soul continues to live on. During the paper, I will explain Plato’s view towards the immortality of the soul, which argument of Plato’s is the strongest to defending his claim, then I will talk about three arguments as to why I believe there is an immortal soul within each human being. Finally, I will look back at Plato’s strongest argument from the first section and give my personal take on his belief as to why we have an immortal soul.
In the reading the Phaedo, Plato presents multiple arguments as to why he believes human beings have an immortal soul. Plato’s definition of immortal means a never ending cycle of the existence of the soul. When the body …show more content…
Plato believes this desire for knowledge cannot be explained by the body and there must be something stronger (Plato 11). Humans also have a strong sense of virtue. Courage, temperance, prudence, and justice will make one flourish. The drive to be able to control the body to achieve virtue means there is something higher; this something higher is placed in the immortal soul Plato believes human beings have (Plato 11). The third argument Plato mentions is the argument from things opposite in nature. In this argument, Plato suggests good things come from bad, and that souls are therefore born from the dead (Plato 11). Plato’s fourth argument deals with how we gain our knowledge. Plato believes each person already has knowledge, but at birth we forget all the information we have learned in our previous life (Plato 16,17). Through new experiences and the right triggers, individuals recall the information from the past life. Since the sense experience for one to recall this information had to be within us before birth, Plato argues that this is why the soul is continuous (Plato 17). One of Plato’s last arguments talks about composition and simplicity. Plato believes the body is …show more content…
Plato is able to give multiple reasons as to why this argument is a valid reason to believe there is an immortal soul. He compares the body to something that is composite, which in death will be broken down and changed. Plato then refers to the soul as being like the essences and divine, which are simple and are not made out of physical parts. This argument is also the strongest because when Simmias and Cebes bring up objections to Socrates, Socrates is able to bring in more evidence as to why his argument about composition and simplicity should stand. Simmias uses an analogy with a lyre and harmony to show how something could be both nonphysical and destructible (Plato 24, 25). Further into the reading, Socrates responds to Simmias’ argument by stating that a harmony cannot be separate from a lyre, whereas the soul is not under control by the body, and if they said the soul was like a lyre they would contradict themselves and Homer (Plato 30, 31). Cebes also uses an analogy about a man and a coat. Cebes believes that like a man, the soul could be destroyed by wearing out (Plato 25). However, this objection is not very strong and is easily dismissed by Socrates. After more proof is given to Simmias and Cebes, the two both agree with Socrates’ argument about the existence of the soul, and the composition and simplicity
In the reading the Phaedo, Plato presents multiple arguments as to why he believes human beings have an immortal soul. Plato’s definition of immortal means a never ending cycle of the existence of the soul. When the body …show more content…
Plato believes this desire for knowledge cannot be explained by the body and there must be something stronger (Plato 11). Humans also have a strong sense of virtue. Courage, temperance, prudence, and justice will make one flourish. The drive to be able to control the body to achieve virtue means there is something higher; this something higher is placed in the immortal soul Plato believes human beings have (Plato 11). The third argument Plato mentions is the argument from things opposite in nature. In this argument, Plato suggests good things come from bad, and that souls are therefore born from the dead (Plato 11). Plato’s fourth argument deals with how we gain our knowledge. Plato believes each person already has knowledge, but at birth we forget all the information we have learned in our previous life (Plato 16,17). Through new experiences and the right triggers, individuals recall the information from the past life. Since the sense experience for one to recall this information had to be within us before birth, Plato argues that this is why the soul is continuous (Plato 17). One of Plato’s last arguments talks about composition and simplicity. Plato believes the body is …show more content…
Plato is able to give multiple reasons as to why this argument is a valid reason to believe there is an immortal soul. He compares the body to something that is composite, which in death will be broken down and changed. Plato then refers to the soul as being like the essences and divine, which are simple and are not made out of physical parts. This argument is also the strongest because when Simmias and Cebes bring up objections to Socrates, Socrates is able to bring in more evidence as to why his argument about composition and simplicity should stand. Simmias uses an analogy with a lyre and harmony to show how something could be both nonphysical and destructible (Plato 24, 25). Further into the reading, Socrates responds to Simmias’ argument by stating that a harmony cannot be separate from a lyre, whereas the soul is not under control by the body, and if they said the soul was like a lyre they would contradict themselves and Homer (Plato 30, 31). Cebes also uses an analogy about a man and a coat. Cebes believes that like a man, the soul could be destroyed by wearing out (Plato 25). However, this objection is not very strong and is easily dismissed by Socrates. After more proof is given to Simmias and Cebes, the two both agree with Socrates’ argument about the existence of the soul, and the composition and simplicity