Socrates’ most prevelant lesson, seen throughout Phaedo, is that our lives on the physical earth must focus on the greater good of the soul. In order to do so, we must remove ourselves as much as possible from our body’s wrongful urges and desires because they threaten our desired relationship with our soul. All true and good philosophers focus their overall existence and way of life on this knowledge. With that being said, one might question why we possess these natural yet corrupted bodily desires so passionately if they only lead to no good. We are made with these bodily habits, so why must they damage our relationip with our soul? Our body is one thing that does not continue on with us into the after life, according to Socrates’ teachings
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Socrates could argue that the body is only concerned with defective, imperfect likings and desires because the body never gained the original knowledge that the soul was given. In Socrates’ prier teachings, he claims the soul gained all wise and necessary knowledge at the beginning of creation. This knowledge, seen through the Forms, is carried on to each body and each life the soul takes part in. It is the immortal body that is constantly changing and lacks the original knowledge. So with that being said, the body resorts to its unreliable senses that clouds the souls knowledge. Socrates could also argue that his theory of opposites could also relate to the relationship between the body and the soul. As he says, everything that exists comes from its opposite. It is clear to use that the all-knowing soul is what is important to us in the long run, for it carries on past the physical world. Moreover, we also are aware the body is the only threat to cloud our thoughts and steer us away from nourishing our soul. The reason behind this obstacle in our physical lives is never clearly answered by Socrates. However, there are multiple valid arguments that could strengthen his teaching, and further teach us, the importance of a soul-focused
Socrates could argue that the body is only concerned with defective, imperfect likings and desires because the body never gained the original knowledge that the soul was given. In Socrates’ prier teachings, he claims the soul gained all wise and necessary knowledge at the beginning of creation. This knowledge, seen through the Forms, is carried on to each body and each life the soul takes part in. It is the immortal body that is constantly changing and lacks the original knowledge. So with that being said, the body resorts to its unreliable senses that clouds the souls knowledge. Socrates could also argue that his theory of opposites could also relate to the relationship between the body and the soul. As he says, everything that exists comes from its opposite. It is clear to use that the all-knowing soul is what is important to us in the long run, for it carries on past the physical world. Moreover, we also are aware the body is the only threat to cloud our thoughts and steer us away from nourishing our soul. The reason behind this obstacle in our physical lives is never clearly answered by Socrates. However, there are multiple valid arguments that could strengthen his teaching, and further teach us, the importance of a soul-focused