Phi-105 Week 2 Socrates Essay Option 1
Socrates Essay: Option 1
PHI/105
Larry Waggle Instructor
Socrates Essay: Option 1
“There is nothing to fear but fear itself,” this is a well known saying that I believe describes why Socrates did not fear death or the afterlife. Socrates thought that true philosophers spent their entire lives getting ready for death. So to be afraid of something that you have been preparing so long for is pointless. Socrates believed that only a philosopher that did not fear death could acquire courage and self-control.
To Socrates death was only a parting of the soul from the body and due to this he thought that philosophers should stay away from as many bodily pleasures as possible. Bodily pleasures could include fine food, liquor, extravagant outfits, jewelry, and so on. This was in order to keep the souls well-being in the forefront of the mind. Socrates felt the soul should not be bound to the body; it should be free to be released when the time came. Socrates seemed to believe that the soul was immortal and that it would live on in the afterlife. He thought that after a very long time the soul would be brought back again.
I have thought quite a bit about whether or not I agree with Socrates. Part of me wants to agree with him and believe that there is a chance to come back after death. I am just unsure because even though I am not extremely religious I have always been taught that when you die you go to heaven or hell and that is where you stay for all eternity. I think that anything is possible and I honestly would not mind finding out there is an afterlife and something to come back to because in my mind it would give an actual purpose to life. Finally, if I was able to talk to Socrates and ask him a question about the afterlife I think I would ask him, “If there is an afterlife and we come back after a certain period of time, what is next? Do we live another life or do we try to make right what went wrong in our previous life?” These questions have perplexed me
PHI/105
Larry Waggle Instructor
Socrates Essay: Option 1
“There is nothing to fear but fear itself,” this is a well known saying that I believe describes why Socrates did not fear death or the afterlife. Socrates thought that true philosophers spent their entire lives getting ready for death. So to be afraid of something that you have been preparing so long for is pointless. Socrates believed that only a philosopher that did not fear death could acquire courage and self-control.
To Socrates death was only a parting of the soul from the body and due to this he thought that philosophers should stay away from as many bodily pleasures as possible. Bodily pleasures could include fine food, liquor, extravagant outfits, jewelry, and so on. This was in order to keep the souls well-being in the forefront of the mind. Socrates felt the soul should not be bound to the body; it should be free to be released when the time came. Socrates seemed to believe that the soul was immortal and that it would live on in the afterlife. He thought that after a very long time the soul would be brought back again.
I have thought quite a bit about whether or not I agree with Socrates. Part of me wants to agree with him and believe that there is a chance to come back after death. I am just unsure because even though I am not extremely religious I have always been taught that when you die you go to heaven or hell and that is where you stay for all eternity. I think that anything is possible and I honestly would not mind finding out there is an afterlife and something to come back to because in my mind it would give an actual purpose to life. Finally, if I was able to talk to Socrates and ask him a question about the afterlife I think I would ask him, “If there is an afterlife and we come back after a certain period of time, what is next? Do we live another life or do we try to make right what went wrong in our previous life?” These questions have perplexed me