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Philosophy as a Practice for Dying

            There are many instances during Plato's Phaedo dialogue that suggest that Socrates acts much differently than any other person would while waiting to be executed. His very calm demeanor and conversations with his friends suggest that he is ready for what is about to happen to him, in which the people around him do not quite understand. However, one of his arguments on philosophy and the definition of dying gives a suggestion of why he is not fearing his execution and why he is ready for what is about to happen.
             Socrates states that philosophy is actually the practice for dying. In this belief he says that death is the separation of soul from body, and this is what philosophers are truly after. He says that in order to "dwell with the gods" one must be "purified and initiated," and in order to do this on must gain as much knowledge as possible (69c). In order to gain this knowledge one must be separated from all externalities that may hold him back from gaining as much knowledge. Philosophers are not concerned with the body or the things that serve it, and the body is actually interfering with this acquisition of knowledge. Socrates makes this a strong argument because he believes that people should not be afraid of death. He says that the reason people are afraid of death is that they do take the time to "search for reality" and that they cannot do this in the presence of their body (65 c).
             To delve a little further into this one must compare the argument of death between the normal person and a philosopher. Most people love pleasure and wealth yet fear death, so when they act like they are brave in what they are doing; they are actually just moderating the greater fear, the fear of death. Philosophers are looking for a way of "freeing [themselves] as far as possible from eyes and ears and for the whole body," because "the body confuses the soul and des not allow it to acquire truth and wisdom" (66 a).


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