An Examination of Socrates Attitude Towards Death and...

An Examination of Socrates Attitude Towards Death and Dying When presented with a problem or argument Socrates, the philosopher, attacked most issues with a relatively disingenuous attitude. A question or idea would be presented and he would automatically respond with either another question or a new philosophy for his opposite party to ponder. These were the ways of Socrates, an intelligent yet humble man who knew the limits of his knowledge. And through his passion for knowledge and quest for the meaning of life, Socrates often stumbled across the theme of death and dying. Now of course the natural human instinct when presented with the idea of death is to run away from the problem and†¦show more content†¦Socrates examines death from a philosophical point of view and concludes that for good upstanding people death should not be feared. He states, â€Å"The fear of death is indeed the pretence of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretence of knowing the unknown† (29a). In other words, death lies in the realm of th e unknown, and it is impossible to fear something before one understands it. After receiving the death sentence Socrates does not invite fear into his thoughts, instead he realizes that â€Å"those of us who think death is an evil are in error† (40c). And by dismissing fear he is now able to examine death fully, dissecting it in a way that he can understand. The theory of the existence of a soul is something that Socrates begins to ponder. He theorizes that â€Å"either death is a state of nothingness and utter unconsciousness, or, as many say, there is a change and migration of the soul from this world to another† (40d). When discussing death in the Apology Socrates upholds a feeling of optimistic uncertainty. He knows that death is expected to come, and realizes that he cannot understand fully what will transpire once that moment arrives. And in this revelation he turns to the jury and says, â€Å"the hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways – I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows†Show MoreRelatedAthenian Attitudes Toward The Authority Of State Through The Eyes Of Plato And Sophocles Essay1662 Words   |  7 PagesAthenian Attitudes Toward the Authority of State Through the Eyes of Plato and Sophocles The first evidence of democracy, government in which the citizens had a say in the rulings, was discovered in Ancient Athens. However, the direct democratic system seemed so successful that it overshadowed the Athenian’s views towards the power of their government. 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