Question

How does Socrates explain the idea that a true philosopher is always pursuing death?

Answer 1

According to Socrates, true philosophers should welcome death and not grieve at it. Socrates believes that death should be the desire and goal of a philosopher’s lives. He also believes that this statement would make sense only to philosophers as they are the ones who would feel truly alive after death while the normal humans just die.

Socrates explains that death separates the body and soul. The body distracts humans from their pursuit of truth as it is filled with different emotions of love, desire, fear, and so requires care and attention. When philosophers aim to be independent of the body, they can attain true learning and understanding. Since the state of being independent of the body is being dead, philosophers should not fear death but embrace it.

Socrates also remarks that suicide is illegitimate because humans have no right to harm themselves as they are possessions of the gods. People should wait for their lives to be taken from them and not take their lives by themselves.