Plato
On the Dialogues of Socrates
Before the Apology
• Faces accusers saying, “You will have to
make me a martyr – the unexamined life is
not worth living.”
• Crito tries to convince Socrates to escape,
but he will not. He believes in supporting
the state and if we don’t, anarchy will
ensue.
The Apology
• Not an apology
• Socrates defines his actions and the accusations
against him
• He systematically shows how the accusations
[and thus the accusers] are without merit
• He does not beg, plead, or promise he will stop
his questioning
• He is condemned to death but does not regret
his life or actions
After the Apology pt 1
• He waits one year till the suicide so as not to die
during the holy season
• During this time, Socrates continues speaking to
those who visit him
• He first speaks of suicide saying that although
philosopher’s search for death ( a freeing of the
soul from the body) they should not commit
suicide for they should leave this to the gods.
• Still, he is not unhappy to die, for he the
philosopher will finally find the truth he
has been seeking.
After the Apology pt 2
• Addresses the fears that a soul dissipates upon death –
oblivion and argues against it.
• All things have their opposites. Death the opposite from
life - thus the connection. Life begets death therefore
death must beget life
• The soul must have existed before therefore
knowledge is relearning. The soul knew things
before and forgot them upon birth and thus
through life relearns.
• The problem being the imperfection of the body
which makes it difficult for the soul to see things clearly.
• They agree to the souls previous existence, but cannot
be assured that its existence will continue.
After the Apology pt 3
• The soul is of the unseen and unchanging therefore it may have
many bodies and the bodies will fail, but it will continue to exist.
• He later makes an incorrect analogy of a weaver making many coats
that wear out but the coats may outlast the weaver - thus they say
couldn’t a soul also be worn out?
• Socrates regroups and reanalyzes his position. The soul is immortal.
As ideas are absolute so is the soul - heat may melt snow but cold
cannot be converted into heat.
• He then discusses the judgment of souls –
most can be cleansed through repentance,
but some only hell. The dead body is not the
person - only the soul is the person.
• The poison is brought, he drinks it, walks until
numb, lays down and dies.