Philosophy
Plato has provided several arguments on immortality. He has described the immortality of soul. Most of his arguments are, however present in Phaeodo-Socratic dialogue, The Meno and The Republic. Regarding immortality of souls, there are four arguments in Phaedo. The arguments are known as the Cyclical Argument, the Recollection Argument, the Affinity Argument and the Final Argument. According to the Cyclical Argument, all the things arise from their opposite, as the opposite of life is death so life has must come from the death. Moreover, Plato has explained that this should be the case and anything else would finish up dead (Bostok). Therefore, the dead souls must exist before their re-embodiment.
Secondly, the Recollection Argument describes that we have certain knowledge and we are not been taught of this knowledge. For example, individuals can come to the knowledge as well as information of the mathematical truths by utilizing reasoning alone. As individuals have never sought and leant this knowledge so it means that they have the knowledge before they were born, and hence it is indicating the fact that souls have compulsory pre-existed the birth of individuals. Thirdly, the Affinity Argument is indicative of the fact that the soul as compared to the body is invisible, indivisible and immaterial and on the basis of this, Plato has reasoned that the soul is deathless and indissoluble (Gertz). The Final Argument mentioned by Plato in Phaedo is that the soul can be acceptably called as the cause and reason of life, because it is contributing to the form of life, so, death of soul, cannot be admitted (Bostok).
Considering arguments on immortality, from The Republic, the essential premise is that, if anything can destroy another thing, then certainly something bad is associated with it (Wagner). The bad things that are linked with the soul are injustice, ignorance, cowardice and licentiousness, which are collectively given the name ‘Vice”. The word vice represents a particular bad thing, which is associated with the soul, but as it never results in the end or death of the specific soul, the soul is essentially immortal. Additionally, towards the end of Republic, Plato has elaborated the immortality of the soul. Plato considers that the goodness should be taken into consideration without caring for the consequences attached with it. This is because, goodness is not means to an end, and it is an end in itself and a reward on its own. Moreover, Plato has argued that a just man is not only rewarded in this his life by the society but also, he is rewarded in the life hereafter i.e., after death. Further, he has explained that the soul was essentially pure, but it has become deformed when it is associated with the body. But, irrespective of this fact, soul has retained some of its true and exact nature and revealed this through the desire for wisdom.
Plato explains that everything that an individual perform has its own specific evil, which lead to its deterioration and destruction. This is a similar to fact that just as the body is inclined to the diseases, the soul is also open to the ignorance and injustice. So, Plato has concluded that it is just the inner flaws and weaknesses that lead to the destruction of the soul. The particular affliction of soul is immortality that can harm it but cannot destroy it. So, Plato has emphasized on the fact that the soul is essentially indestructible and, therefore, it is immortal. In Meno, Plato has argued through Socrates’ mouth that comparison knowledge such as equality is not learnt; rather it is innate, which is further indicating about the pre-existence of the soul. So, knowledge of the particulars is forgotten at the time of birth and is then recollected by seeking help from the teacher.
Furthermore, He has also distinguished between the world of forms and world of change. He has described that soul belongs to the word of forms and it is reflective, invisible and rules the individual’s body naturally. Furthermore, the ideas are not the physical elements; hence they belong to the world of change and spiritual realm. The spiritual realm is considered as increasingly real as compared to the material realm. The soul can grasp the ideas and so soul also belongs to the spiritual realm. Furthermore, according to Plato contrasting forms do not exist in the same object such as small and big. However, the soul gets its life by associating itself with other forms of life and such an association does not accept death, so the soul must be immortal.
Additionally, the theory of forms is a vital aspect in Phaedo, and plays central role for explaining the thoughts of Plato. Plato described that all the examples of true and actual beauty and justice are somewhat faulty in this world, but still we are aware of the fact what true beauty is and what is true justice. The theory of Plato describes that, above the indecisive and unsatisfying universe, there is a world, which comprises of the Form of Beauty and the Form of Justice and other forms that exemplify the expressions of such ideals. Further, any justice and beauty that we find in this world, however, has the justice or beauty to an extent, which it contributes in these forms. The justice and the beauty that we find in this world are just like shadows of above that provide indication and signs of nature that are more real forms of the world.
Any beauty or justice we find in this world has beauty or justice only to the extent that it partakes in these Forms. The beauty and justice we find in this world are like shadows cast from above that give us some indication of the nature of the more real world of Forms. In a nut shell, each argument of Plato has done different work but they are aimed at providing the same thing i.e., immortality of the soul. The Cyclical Argument is based on the line of thinking that is indicative of the fact that the world is being divided into the opposites. The Reconciliation Argument has introduced the concept of Forms for associating immoral soul and knowledge, suggesting that a soul surviving death is not merely a vacant life force but contains intellect. The Affinity Argument has made an explicit distinction between the body and soul and by declaring varying fates, it look forward to different souls that depend on the purity of souls and their requirement of the body. I the Final Argument, Plato has described the forms that deem really definite and argued that soul always bring life and it will never accept death, hence soul is indestructible.
References
Bostok, David. Plato's Phaedo. New York: Clarendon Press, 1986. Print.
Gertz, Sebastian Ramon Philipp. Death and Immortality in Late Neoplatonism: Studies on the Ancient Commentaries on Plato's Phaedo. The Netherlands: Brill Publishing, 2011. Print.
Wagner, Ellen. Essays on Plato's Psychology. United States Of America: Lexington Books, 2001. Print.
