Comparing Two Views Of Socrates
Kelsey Nagy
Philosophy 101
Bill Haley
28 March 2014
Socrates
Socrates believed that philosophy prepares the soul for the separation of the body when it is time for us to die. Also, he insisted that death is not necessarily a bad thing. Socrates had two views on death, that is to be nonexistent or something happens to the soul at death and gets transported to another world. I disagree with his opinions on death because he says that death is like a “dreamless sleep” and he does not consider what could happen to the soul after death. If Socrates says that death is like a dreamless sleep, we would be able to wake up afterward. The definition of sleep a state of partial unconsciousness in people and animals, during which voluntary
functions are suspended and the body rests and restores itself. Now saying that if death were a way of sleeping we would only be partially unconscious and our body would rest up and we would wake up feeling refreshed. Death is endless unconsciousness and we would never wake up from it and we would need to be conscious to feel any pleasure from it. Socrates assumes there is only one place dead souls go. He thinks that his soul and all other souls would end up in the same place. He says that he would love to meet a lot of the souls there. But, for a man who is said to be so wise and he himself says he knows nothing, he would not have come to the conclusions or assumptions that death is good in this way. He does not know for sure that every soul goes to the same place. Also, every person has their own opinion on what heaven and hell is to them and how they perceive it. Those are the reasons I disagree with Socrates theories on death, they just do not seem logical to me. Socrates theories are very interesting, that he welcomed death and he did not attempt to escape it. Also, that he believed death is merely a separation of the soul and body. In saying that his opinions do in a way prepare us for death because it is all unknowing.
Philosophy 101
Bill Haley
28 March 2014
Socrates
Socrates believed that philosophy prepares the soul for the separation of the body when it is time for us to die. Also, he insisted that death is not necessarily a bad thing. Socrates had two views on death, that is to be nonexistent or something happens to the soul at death and gets transported to another world. I disagree with his opinions on death because he says that death is like a “dreamless sleep” and he does not consider what could happen to the soul after death. If Socrates says that death is like a dreamless sleep, we would be able to wake up afterward. The definition of sleep a state of partial unconsciousness in people and animals, during which voluntary
functions are suspended and the body rests and restores itself. Now saying that if death were a way of sleeping we would only be partially unconscious and our body would rest up and we would wake up feeling refreshed. Death is endless unconsciousness and we would never wake up from it and we would need to be conscious to feel any pleasure from it. Socrates assumes there is only one place dead souls go. He thinks that his soul and all other souls would end up in the same place. He says that he would love to meet a lot of the souls there. But, for a man who is said to be so wise and he himself says he knows nothing, he would not have come to the conclusions or assumptions that death is good in this way. He does not know for sure that every soul goes to the same place. Also, every person has their own opinion on what heaven and hell is to them and how they perceive it. Those are the reasons I disagree with Socrates theories on death, they just do not seem logical to me. Socrates theories are very interesting, that he welcomed death and he did not attempt to escape it. Also, that he believed death is merely a separation of the soul and body. In saying that his opinions do in a way prepare us for death because it is all unknowing.