The Argument against Suicide in Plato's Phaedo
Plato's Phaedo makes a lot of interesting arguments that are worth contemplating about. One of the primary arguments deals with Socrates' views on Suicide. Socrates and his friends, Cebes and Simmias, discuss whether it is wrong to kill oneself. Socrates begins by saying that it is wrong to kill oneself because it is against God's wishes. Gods are our keepers and we are their possessions; we will be punished if we destroy ourselves. Even though he ultimately extols the virtues of dying for "philosophers", he strongly feels that common man does not have a right to take away (his own life) what doesn't belong to him (he is God's possession) in the first place.The major arguments, intended to affirm his ultimate argument are as follows:* There is a time to do it and a time no to do it ( "....it is not unreasonable that one should not kill oneself before a God had indicated some necessity to do so, like the necessity now put upon us" (62 C).* We will make the Gods angry if we do it.
Even though there might be some apprehension regarding his arguments, it cannot be denied that Socrates puts up a good case if we accept his idea of divinity. * Gods will treat their possessions as we do. For someone who does believe in God, his arguments are surely logical and offer strong premises. The above arguments have built into it the presence of God; it's meant to address people who subscribe to Socrates' initial fondness for the after-life. Simmias raises an important question, ". It may well astonish you if this subject, along of all things, is simple, and it is never, as with everything else, better at certain times and for certain people to die than to live" (62 A). The major premises of the above arguments involve slavery and inanimate object. The analogy itself is based upon our perception of God and what, if anything at all, we consider as divine. It is important for Socrates to explain his position because he seems to pay tribute to all the virtues of embracing death being a philosopher, yet doesn't want every man to think that death is an instantaneous cure to all ills. While this view would be quite convincing to a person who believes in God, it seems to beg the question of whether it is actually wrong to kill oneself on secular grounds, or in an "atheist universe. Being an atheist, I think that the arguments are meant for people of a certain disposition, and they are not as universal as Socrates might lead us to believe. However, the last argument might not necessarily be true, and leaves room for doubt.
Common topics in this essay:
Cebes Simmias,
Gods Socrates',
Plato's Phaedo,
believe god,
kill oneself,
Suicide Socrates,
wrong kill oneself,
wrong kill,
* gods,
consider divine,
possessions *,
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Acceptance Essays
