Death and the Philosopher

1. The body impedes the search for understanding:

a. Soul, not body, is the source of understanding &

b. The body distracts us with its demands

2. \To live well – through examination, reflection, and a commitment to excellence – the body must be overcome.

3. Death is separation of the mind/soul from the body

4. A philosopher qua philosopher has been practicing this separation

5. \ With death comes the opportunity gain pure understanding

Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul

A. Cycle of Opposites Argument (70c-72e)

1. Those things that have an opposite come to be from their opposite

2. The opposite of “living” is “dead”

3. \ Living things come from the dead

4. The dead are in the underworld

5. We the living have souls

6. \Our souls existed in the underworld

7. \ Our souls exist prior to birth

B. Recollection Argument (72e-77d)

1. If P could be reminded of X at T₂, then P knew X at T₁ (i.e., prior to T₂)

2. P does recall X at T₂

3. \ P knew X at T₁

4. There is a time (say, T₂) between the birth and death of P such that P recalled the Form of Equality at that time

5. If P can recognize two things being/ not being equal at T₂, P knew the Form of Equality at prior to T_2.

6. Recollection at T₂requires knowing at T₁

7. \P knew the Form of Equality at T₁

8. P did not know of this Form of Equality at the time of birth

9. \T₁is prior to the moment of birth

10. \P knows the Form of Equality prior to birth

C. Affinity Argument (77d-80c)

1. When confronted with change, composite things tend to break down into component parts

2. Things that always remain the same and in the same state most likely are not composite.

3. The Equal, Beautiful, etc. is unlikely to be affected by any change whatsoever

4. The soul is more like these divine things than the body is.

5. \It is natural for the body to breakdown and for the soul to be indissoluble

6. \The soul exists following death

Causation, Forms, & The Soul

1. Forms exist (Cold, Sickness, Beauty, etc.)

2. Form-bearers exist (snow, fever, proportionality, etc.)

3. Forms have their properties essentially (i.e., always, necessarily)

4. Form-bearers also have the properties of Forms essentially

5. Soul is the form-bearer of Life to the body

6. \Soul has the property of Life essentially

7. A form-bearer confronted by the opposite form retreats or is destroyed

a. When Chicago becomes warmer (partakes in the form Heat – Cold’s opposite), snow (the form-bearer of cold) retreats or is destroyed (melts)

8. Death is the form opposite to Life

9. \When soul (the form-bearer life) is confronted by death of the body, it must retreat or be destroyed

10. As soul has life essentially, the soul is deathless

11. \When the soul is confronted by death of the body, it retreats rather than being destroyed

12. \The soul continues after the death of the body

13. \Care of the soul, by training & education, is of utmost importance since it survives death