Prudence and the Fear of Death in Plato’s Apology

Austin, Emily A.

doi:10.5840/ancientphil20103013

Cited by 5 publications

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“…16 Notice how Socrates' attitude towards death differs from his attitude in the Apology. In the Apology, Socrates maintains that death is not a bad thing because either it is like a long dreamless sleep or it leads to a good afterlife (40c-41c), see Austin (2010). In contrast, in the Phaedo, he maintains that if one does not believe that the afterlife is good, one should resent death.…”

Section: A Puzzle About the Pursuit Of Truthmentioning

confidence: 91%

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Death and the Limits of Truth in the Phaedo

Baima

2015

Apeiron

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This paper raises a new interpretive puzzle concerning Socrates' attitude towards truth in the Phaedo. At one point Socrates seems to advocate that he is justified in trying to convince himself that the soul is immortal and destined for a better place regardless of whether or not these claims are true, but that Cebes and Simmias should relentlessly pursue the truth about the very same matter. This raises the question: Why might Socrates believe that he will benefit from believing things about death irrespective of the truth, but that Cebes and Simmias will not? Why should they continue pursuing the truth? This paper argues that the relevant difference between Socrates and his friends is that Socrates is a fully accomplished philosopher, while his friends are not. This, I argue, makes Socrates an epistemic authority, and it is in virtue of being an epistemic authority that he is justified in not pursuing the truth about death. The upshot of this paper is that sometimes the demands of living well require that we abandon the pursuit of truth and knowledge.

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Section: A Puzzle About the Pursuit Of Truthmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…45 For a discussion of hopeful thinking in the Apology see Austin (2010). Additionally, for a specific discussion on what Plato thinks the dangers of wishful thinking are and are not see Vogt (2012, chap.…”

Section: Death and The Limits Of Truth In The Phaedo  275mentioning

confidence: 97%

Death and the Limits of Truth in the Phaedo

Baima

2015

Apeiron

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Socrates' Final Argument in Apology

Taylor

2024

Pacific Philosophical Qtr

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Socrates provides an argument at the end of the Apology that he believes gives hope that death is a blessing. This argument, grounded on the claim that death is one of two things, has been the subject of much derision and some recent defense. In this essay, I build on the work of other sympathetic commentators to show that Socrates' argument, when taken in context, not only makes good sense, but unifies Socrates' speech into a cohesive exhortation toward virtue.

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Piety and Annihilation in Plato’s Phaedo

Austin

2019

Apeiron

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At the close of Plato’s Apology, Socrates argues that death is a benefit regardless of whether it results in annihilation or an afterlife. According to the standard interpretation, Socrates of the Phaedo rejects the idea that annihilation is a benefit, instead arguing that the soul is immortal and that annihilation would harm a philosopher. Socrates certainly suggests in a few passages that he would resent annihilation. In this paper, however, I argue that the Phaedo does not mark a significant shift in Socrates’ views about whether annihilation benefits. In both dialogues, he recognizes that if the gods choose to annihilate humans, they signal that human life is bad overall and that deprivation of a bad state is a benefit, albeit a benefit without an existing beneficiary. I contend that for Socrates, the possibility that humans benefit from annihilation entails neither the rationality of suicide nor the view that philosophers live miserable lives.

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Prudence and the Fear of Death in Plato’s Apology

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Death and the Limits of Truth in the Phaedo

Death and the Limits of Truth in the Phaedo

Socrates' Final Argument in Apology

Piety and Annihilation in Plato’s Phaedo

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