Socrates And St. Augustines Views On Death - 1305 Words

Louis Ferrara Dr. Edwards Philosophy 101-02 October 13, 2017 What is Death? Death is the most inevitable and unknown aspect of life. It is unescapable, and by most of today’s population, it is feared in the utmost regard. Our materialistic views and constant desertion of religious ideals has forced our society to view death as an ultimate end. Socrates and St. Augustine’s views on death differ from many views on the subject in 2017, however, for their time, these men had the power to influence a plethora of individuals with their theories. For Socrates, death should never be feared and should be considered a blessing if our souls were to ascend to heaven, or death could be an extensive slumber without any dreaming whatsoever. With†¦show more content†¦Socrates justifies by claiming, â€Å"So, if you see anyone distressed at the prospect of dying, it will be proof enough that he is a lover not of wisdom but of the body (this man would presumably be a lover of money) and of prestige, one or the other, or both† (pg. 129-130). Covetous and selfish people will fear death because their impure souls will not be granted entrance into Heaven and â€Å"the greatest blessing a man could receive†. Next, we already have the knowledge that Socrates understands how unwise it is to fear death, but he has a perception of death that grants him serenity and peace about being deceased. He enlightens the jury by explaining, â€Å"death is a state of nothingness and utter unconsciousness or a change and migration of the soul from this world to another† (pg. 69). In the majority of cases, humans will innately fear that state of nothingness and uncertainty, however Socrates’ approach differs. Even though this is the worst of the two possibilities when humans die, Socrates views this undisturbed slumber without any dreams or distractions to be a tremendous benefit. Socrates’ ideals mirror that of Ecclesiastes 9:5 which states, â€Å"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.† This parallels Socrates claiming that he does not fear death even if it is anShow Mor eRelatedRelationship between St Augustine and Plato1773 Words   |  8 Pagesbetween St. Augustine and Plato Great philosophers over time have shared ideas about their lifetime. There were no more captivating philosophers than Plato and Augustine who fed off one another. Even though they were born at different times, their ideas impacted the life they lived in and future lives. St. Augustine was a student of the wise Plato, who fed off his ideas and created his own form of philosophy. 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