As part of my Philosophy of Adult Eduction course we were asked to read a selection on the Death of Socrates. For those of you who may not know Socrates was a Greek philosopher around 400 BC. and is credited as on of the founders of western philosophy. Most of what we know about Socrates was documented by his student Plato, another Greek philosopher. In life Socrates a teacher began posing philosophical questions to his students. Despite his loyalty with the city of Athens, his views clashed with the current course of Athenian politics and society.
Socrates was ultimately put on trail for refusing the philosophies of the state, mainly revolving around their Gods. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. The selection on The Death of Socrates from Plato’s Phaedo paints a picture of Socrates, who is now well into his 70’s as being ready for death. There are two views in this reading, one is that Socrates found himself to be right and he felt that his death may be viewed perhaps as a martyrdom. It also illustrates that his every growing quest for knowledge has lead him to question the after life and death itself. In the reading he is far to eager to drink the poison and goes on about what death may be like, either a place where he will once again be friends and family that have already passed on, or an eternal sleep. He also illustrates that he has nothing to fear about death, since if he does go to place much like his first assumption, he will happy to see old friends and such. If death is an eternal sleep, then he will feel nothing and it will be like going to bed.
His quest for knowledge almost makes it appear as if he was committing suicide to test a theory, which to me is rather morbid.
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