Hustler

Major Philosophy

PHL 218

March 1, 2016

In the beginning of Phaedo, Socrates introduces various sub-theme theories that he uses to validate and solidify his convictions on the explanation of the nature of the soul. There are, the Theory of Recollection, Theory of Forms, and Theory of Opposites etc. The primary argument, one of affinity, is unmistakable because of the unique explanations Socrates provides about the body and soul. He believes that the body and soul are bound together by some force of nature. The body as the “ruled” and the soul, the “ruler” (80a). He further suggests that the body and soul have distinctly different affairs and that the soul existed before we were born. To put this in context, he perceives the body as something not reusable. Similar to a wooden match, once ignited, it burns to annihilation. Socrates describes the soul as being, “…most like the divine, deathless, intelligible, uniform, indissoluble, always the same as itself…” (80b). In contrast, he outlines the body as, “…mortal, multiform, unintelligible, soluble, and never consistently the same.” With such defining and opposing characteristics, it’s evident that Socrates held the soul in a different and higher regard. The soul, he advises, “…makes use of the body to investigate something, be it through hearing or seeing or some other sense – for to investigate something through the body is to do it through the senses…” (79c) In other words, the body surrenders to materialistic desires, is the lower and the less pure when compared to the soul, and essentially, is a tool used by the soul. Socrates clearly justifies a distinction of higher status.

With the body and soul now divided into two separate things, Socrates continues to declare his theory by categorizing the specific properties of distinction that are significant to both the body and soul. He confirms the following question when imposed upon him by one of his followers, “…so the soul is more like the invisible than the body, and the body more like the visible?” (79c). this invisible-soul versus visible-body peculiarity is further clarified by the explanation Socrates provides for all things in the world. He suggests that everything is composed of either two different types of things – composite or simple (78c). These groups are fundamentally different because the simple things relate to the mind. They “…remain the same and never in any way tolerate any change…” (78d) Socrates uses examples of beauty and justice to encourage better understanding and comprehension