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Exploring Ethics (Cahn): Phaedo--Fearless death suggests a meaningful life

In this powerpoint, I present a way of reading the Phaedo where Socrates is viewed as living a meaningful life BECAUSE he was unafraid of death.

BrianGlenney
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Exploring Ethics (Cahn): Phaedo--Fearless death suggests a meaningful life

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  1. Plato’s Phaedo Death and Meaning of Life

  2. What makes life meaningful? Who knows!?!!?! But, it seems that the point of the Phaedo is that if someone lives their life without fear of death, particularly in the process of dying, then it means they must have lived a meaningful life.

  3. The point of Phaedo Socrates was not afraid of death. So, he lived a meaningful life. • Gives no thought to burial. • Treats death like a vacation. • Guard praises Socrates’ peace and kindness. • Immediately drinks the hemlock. • Drinks the hemlock ‘calmly.’ • Celebrates his dying with friends. • Last words are to his own future health.

  4. The argument of Phaedo? • If one lives a meaningful life, then they are not afraid of death. • Socrates was not afraid of death. • So, Socrates lived a meaningful life. Problem!!! Fallacy of Affirming Consequent A  B B___ A Valid: Modus Ponens A  B A___ B

  5. Phaedo as Modus Ponens? • If one lived a meaningful life, then they do not fear death. • Socrates lived a meaningful life (NOT PHAEDO) • So, Socrates was not afraid of death. (PHAEDO)

  6. I’M NOT SURE WHAT THE PHAEDO IS ARGUING LET’S LOOK AT SOME ARGUMENTS IN PHAEDO…

  7. Philosophers do not resent death (64a-68e) Preparation argument (64a-67e) 1) Correct philosophizing prepares one for death 2) One prepared for death should not resent death. 3) So, one who correctly philosophizes should not resent death.

  8. WHAT IS ‘CORRECT PHILOSOPHIZING? Belief in Post-Life Reflection! • Correct philosophizing searches for truth. • Bodily life inhibits search for truth. • So, bodily life inhibits correct philosophizing. • Death is the separation of the body from the soul. • So, death is the end of inhibition of correct philosophizing. • So, correct philosophizing is best done after death. “…those who rightly love wisdom are practicing dying, and death to them is the least terrible thing in the world.” (561)

  9. Problem: Fear of death is best 1. Those who love bodily life fear death. • Those who face their fears are courageous. • We all die. • So, those love bodily life will face their fears. • So, those who love bodily life are courageous.

  10. Response: Fear of death does not result in courage • Temperance is to have desires that do not agitate, but are held “lightly and decently”. • Courage is temperate. • Fear is intemperate. • So, those for whom death is fearful do not die courageously.

  11. Problem 2: Death is Evil. • The object of courage is always an evil. • Death is an object of courage. • So, death is evil. • Evil is to be feared. • So, death is to be feared. • Facing fear is courageous. • So, those who fear death are courageous.

  12. Response 1: Death is not evil • Death is a release from a bodily-constrained life. • At worst, death is like a sleep. • At best, death allows for an eternity of unconstrained thought. But, we do not really know what death is really like!

  13. Response 2: Two types of Courage • If one is ‘passively courageous,’ they accept there lot in life and are carried away with the current of their death and dying process. E.g. People who let death occur from terminal illness (?) • If one is ‘actively courageous,’ they control their own destiny in spite of what others would view as best and despite the options available to them in their death and dying process. E.g. People who decide to “die with dignity” from terminal illness (?)

  14. Response 2 (Cont.): Two types of Fear • If one is ‘passively fearful,’ they find objects/events of fear. E.g. People who, unprepared, screech at finding spiders, mice, etc. • If one is ‘actively fearful,’ they seek out objects/events of fear. E.g. People who engage in “dangerous” sport while knowing the danger.

  15. Passive Fear (Spiders) Active Fear (Cliff Diving) Active Courage Passive Courage Pathways of Fear and Courage Passive Courage Active Courage Socrates actively sought out fearful things (provoking people) and actively confronted the consequences (death).

  16. What’s the worst of death?

  17. No: Annihilation yes Bodily Non-bodily Static Cyclical Pleasure (Heaven) Pain (Hell) Reincarnation Resurrection Transmigration Socrates and Death

  18. Conclusion so Far Philosophy demonstrates that Death is not evil and should not be feared. • How might this relate to the relationship between not fearing death and living a meaningful life?

  19. Phaedo as flipped Modus Ponens? • If one is not afraid of death, then they lived a meaningful life. • Socrates was not afraid of death. (PHAEDO) • So, Socrates lived a meaningful life (NOT PHAEDO)

  20. Is it true? • If one is not afraid of death, then they lived a meaningful life?

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