Jacques-Louis David’s famous ‘The Death of Socrates’ (1787), depicting Socrates attitude to his death, and the pain suffered by his friends. Socrates points up, to the forms, just as Plato does in Raphael’s ‘School of Athens.’ Before you read this post, have you read about part 1 and part 2 of the Phaedo? Socrates is in prison awaiting his death, and like the committed philosopher he is has chosen to spend his final hours engaging  his friends in a discussion about the immortality of the soul and the afterlife. Hoping to go to a good afterlife himself, Socrates has presented some tricky a ..read more

Before you read this post, have you read Phaedo (part 1)? The Phaedo: is it Socrates’ swansong? To recap on our previous post, Phaedo (one of Socrates’ friends) is re-telling the story of Socrates’ last few hours in prison before he meets his death. True to form as a determined and committed philosopher, Socrates has chosen to spend these hours discussing the nature of the soul and the afterlife, in a bid to comfort his friends that he is ultimately going to a better place after death. He’s already argued (based on the idea of ‘opposites’) that an immortal soul exists, and that it represents t ..read more

To recap on our previous dialogues, Socrates has been condemned to death for blasphemy and corrupting the youth; furthermore, he was unable to acquit himself in court, and he refused the opportunity to escape from prison. In this famous dialogue, the philosopher Phaedo is asked by his friends what happened to Socrates in the end. In a kind of ‘flashback’, Phaedo tells his friends the remarkable story, and reports not only on a series of interesting arguments about life after death, but also on the remarkable and poignant way in which Socrates met his fate at last. Phaedo digested (part 1 ..read more

After the events of the Apology, Socrates awaits his execution in a prison cell. His friend Crito, who previously (and unsuccessfully) tried to pay for Socrates’ acquittal, arrives to try and persuade Socrates to escape. Though Crito’s arguments are persuasive, and he makes clear that escape would be a relatively safe and sure option for Socrates to avoid death, Socrates refuses, claiming that ‘justice’ demands that he face his own demise instead. Is Socrates mad? Read on to find out… Crito digested Socrates: (to Crito): *yawn*, I just woke up. I’m surprised you managed to blag your way i ..read more

After making his not-very-apologetic apology to the Athenian jury and audience, Socrates prepares to face their verdict, on charges of blasphemy and corrupting the young. He tries and fails to appeal against their decision, and then like a true philosopher, prepares to face his fate… Before reading this… have you read the Apology digested (part 1)? The Apology digested: part 2 Athenian jury: Our verdict is…. guilty of all charges! Meletus: Excellent! I recommend for Socrates the worst punishment of all… death! Socrates: (sighs) Well this was not unexpected. I suppose I des ..read more

Socrates attempts to argue / bullshit / insult / brag his way out of a death sentence Socrates has been brought before the court of Athens on the charges of impiety (blasphemy) and corrupting the youth of the city. Whilst you might expect that a man who is in danger of being sentenced to death might plead with the jury, or proclaim his innocence in ‘apologetic’ terms, Socrates does just the opposite, and launches a passionate speech accusing his own accusers of hypocrisy and not caring for justice or virtue. But is it the right approach, and will it get him off the hook?   The Apolog ..read more

Socrates has been accused of insulting the gods and corrupting the youth of Athens, and seems determined to prove his innocence. He meets his friend Euthyphro, who believes himself to be somewhat of a prophet and a sage when it comes to the nature of the gods. Socrates has a chat with Euthyphro in an attempt to get to the bottom of what the nature of holiness really is, hoping that this knowledge will help him prove his own holiness, and innocence, in court. But it turns out that Euthyphro has a tricky court case of his own, and also that holiness proves annoyingly difficult to define…. Euthyp ..read more

Jacques-Louis David’s famous ‘The Death of Socrates’ (1787), depicting Socrates attitude to his death, and the pain suffered by his friends. Socrates points up, to the forms, just as Plato does in Raphael’s ‘School of Athens.’ Before you read this post, have you read about part 1 and part 2 of the Phaedo? Socrates is in prison awaiting his death, and like the committed philosopher he is has chosen to spend his final hours engaging  his friends in a discussion about the immortality of the soul and the afterlife. Hoping to go to a good afterlife himself, Socrates has presented some tricky a ..read more

Before you read this post, have you read Phaedo (part 1)? The Phaedo: is it Socrates’ swansong? To recap on our previous post, Phaedo (one of Socrates’ friends) is re-telling the story of Socrates’ last few hours in prison before he meets his death. True to form as a determined and committed philosopher, Socrates has chosen to spend these hours discussing the nature of the soul and the afterlife, in a bid to comfort his friends that he is ultimately going to a better place after death. He’s already argued (based on the idea of ‘opposites’) that an immortal soul exists, and that it represents t ..read more

To recap on our previous dialogues, Socrates has been condemned to death for blasphemy and corrupting the youth; furthermore, he was unable to acquit himself in court, and he refused the opportunity to escape from prison. In this famous dialogue, the philosopher Phaedo is asked by his friends what happened to Socrates in the end. In a kind of ‘flashback’, Phaedo tells his friends the remarkable story, and reports not only on a series of interesting arguments about life after death, but also on the remarkable and poignant way in which Socrates met his fate at last. Phaedo digested (part 1 ..read more