Socrates: Is Death A Good Thing?

Death is a part of life, but a terrifying event to think about. However, Socrates believes that, as a man that spent his life in philosophy, he is “confident and to have good hope that when he dies he’ll collect the greatest rewards over there” (page 59). Socrates will probably say that those who cares more about knowledge will have “least to fear from death”. He claimed that they need to get rid of the body in order to receive clean knowledge; therefore, death is a good thing depending on what they desire. He said that philosophers make a practice off to leave because they desire to have the soul itself. Therefore, it tells the reader that he is prepared for death, and since he seeks for knowledge, will not care to leave his body as well. …show more content…
Because even though he might receive treasures and rewards from the gods after death, not everyone will receive the same gift; it all depends on their actions from their moral life. People who have not sought for any salvation or repentance from their gods will not look forward to judgment day, seeing death as a bad ending in their life. In conclusion, Socrates cannot determine whether death is a good thing since everyone has different lives. In Phaedo, even though he made death sound like it was a good thing, he was indicating how a philosopher should look at death; not generally as a person. Personally, it all depends on their past actions and beliefs that can determine if death can be a good or bad thing to a