Socrates Should Fearing Death Be Irrational Analysis
Should fearing death be irrational? Socrates, the Greek philosopher, offers explanations in the apology as to why we shouldn’t fear death. No one has the ability to explain or warn us of how it feels to die. At this time anyone could accuse you and the majority of votes decided whether you would live or die. Socrates later in the trial was convicted guilty and he had to take a hemlock based liquid. This hemlock based liquid caused him to feel his body numb which slowly killed him. The liquid harmed his body but not what he believed in. Now Socrates was accused of not believing in the gods the other people believed in during that time. He was also accused of corrupting the minds of the youth. Socrates did not struggle or refused to take his death sentence. In contrast Socrates chose to imagine death as a good concept. Socrates proves to have courage and wisdom because he is not thinking with his heart but with his mind. What most of us fear is leaving behind the people we love the most. Socrates reasons and thinks of death in a whole different turn. Socrates mentions “To fear death, gentlemen, is no
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He mentions “no evil can happen to a good man either in this life or in death.”(Plato, apology Sec41) In other words he doesn’t resent anything he had done and knows he would have done it again. The “evil” refers to the idea of denial to learn new concepts and thoughts. Socrates will not let ignorance over power what he believed in. By being self-center and ignorant you’re only affecting yourself. As Socrates got wiser other people stayed the same. New ideas can cause fear to a society which can lead to violence. After all Socrates believed that his body would be gone but his soul would remain intact. If he feared his death that would have made him ignorant like the rest of the people. In reality I think he feared “evil” (ignorance) instead of death
He mentions “no evil can happen to a good man either in this life or in death.”(Plato, apology Sec41) In other words he doesn’t resent anything he had done and knows he would have done it again. The “evil” refers to the idea of denial to learn new concepts and thoughts. Socrates will not let ignorance over power what he believed in. By being self-center and ignorant you’re only affecting yourself. As Socrates got wiser other people stayed the same. New ideas can cause fear to a society which can lead to violence. After all Socrates believed that his body would be gone but his soul would remain intact. If he feared his death that would have made him ignorant like the rest of the people. In reality I think he feared “evil” (ignorance) instead of death