Socrates And Suicide Summary

Plato’s Phaedo presents the final conversation of Socrates preceding his execution by poison, discussing death, the afterlife, and the pursuit of philosophy. In this dialogue, Socrates explains what it means for one to die, and the strong association philosophy has with death, that is, philosophy as the preparation and even the living out of death. Socrates is prepared to die because of his practice of philosophy which causes him to suppress bodily desires, therefore, ready to leave his body behind for the afterlife. He does not have a fear of death, but looks forward to it, because of its effects on the soul. Despite accepting death and even looking forward for its occurrence, Socrates explains why it would not be fitting to commit suicide …show more content…
That is, Socrates does not grieve death because he has a hope that he will enter a better life, dwelling with the gods and men who are superior to those on earth. In death, he will be brought to better masters than those in this life, thus promising for a better life. He places his hope in a future that awaits him after death, which he defines as “the separation of the soul from the body” (64c). Such a separation is the reason the philosopher is eager to die, because Socrates says that the philosopher is concerned with the soul entirely and not with the body, so much so that he does his best to separate the soul from the body. The view of the majority says that such a life, in which one neglects bodily desires, is not worth living and that such a person seems to be dead. Socrates; however, sees the body as an obstacle, since its senses deceive the soul, hindering it from perceiving anything accurately and clearly. Through using one’s reason, the soul experiences clarity, free from all senses and bodily contact. When unadulterated by the senses, thought is best, so the philosopher ignores his body, allowing the soul to escape from the body and to be by itself. Knowledge in its purest form, namely, the Forms, is not perceived with the bodily senses, but through thought alone, ignoring anything pertaining to the body which hinders the soul’s acquisition of knowledge. The body confuses the soul, since it demands so much of man and fills him with endless desires, thus preventing the soul from acquiring pure truth and wisdom. So long as one is attached to his body, he will be distracted from truth, being confused. Thus, in order to have pure knowledge, man must escape his