Questions Left Unanswered: Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul Anonymous College

In the Phaedo, Plato presents a dialogue that occurs as Socrates awaits his execution. Although the scene begins with a conversation between Phaedo and Echecrates, the bulk of the story lies in Phaedo’s recantation of the philosophical conversation that occurs between Socrates, Simmias, and Cebes. In the scene, Socrates challenges the fear of death, presenting four arguments that support the immortality of the soul and encourage the reader to embrace the prospect of death. In this paper, I will evaluate the merits of Socrates’ first two arguments, namely the Cyclical Argument and Recollection Argument. I will do this by first explaining the arguments in detail and then evaluating potential issues. Although Socrates’ two claims, in conjunction, present a relatively strong case for the immortality of the soul, I will argue that the lack of precision and justification in Socrates arguments gives way to more questions than answers in the attempt to prove the immortality of the soul.

The dialogue concerning the immortality of the soul is sparked by doubt. Specifically, Cebes questions Socrates’ praise of death, asking whether the soul is “destroyed and dissolved on the day the man dies” (Phaedo, 70a). In response, Socrates...