In this section of Plato's Five Dialogues, Phaedo includes a narration of the dialogue between Socrates and his friends during his last hours in his cell. Socrates believed that as long as a philosopher's soul was confined within his body, he would never be able to acquire the truth due to the body's need for education. Socrates states that philosophers must live pure lives and remain obedient to the gods until they free them from their prisons. In this article I will develop Socrates' argument that true knowledge cannot be acquired while the soul and body are mixed. Socrates directly states his assertion that “we men are in a kind of prison” and that they should not attempt to escape (62b). The prison Socrates refers to is the human body, and committing suicide is an act aimed at escaping from it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Socrates goes on to explain that people are the property of the gods and that they must do as they command until their last days on earth (62b). ). Since people are considered the property of the gods, they do not have the privilege of ending their lives unless they are in a position similar to that of Socrates. Socrates recognizes that this statement is difficult to understand, but he believes that it is well conveyed and that people should follow it without argument. Socrates makes another argument that the body makes it difficult to obtain the truth, because “the body confuses the soul” (66). His assertion essentially means that philosophers will never be able to understand the truths they seek, because our bodies' need for education poses an obstacle (66b). The body's senses flood people with "wants, desires, fears, all kinds of illusions and much nonsense" that prevent rational thought, and as long as a philosopher is in their body, they will not will never be able to get the unadulterated truth of what they have. are looking for (66th). Socrates believed that as long as the body and soul are connected, philosophers are obligated to serve the gods until death and will never truly achieve knowledge. To gain true knowledge, Socrates believed that the philosopher must separate himself from his body and look at things inside the soul itself, and he also noted contrasts between the two. He establishes that philosophers have the choice of never achieving true knowledge while in their bodies, or of waiting until death to pursue it (66e-67). Socrates believed that philosophers should stay away from the pleasures their bodies offer, remain pure until God frees them from their prison, and that they will ultimately be rewarded with knowledge of "all that is pure”, which is the truth and is only granted to those. who remained pure in their body (67b). Socrates furthers his reasoning by explaining that philosophers who wish their souls to be separate from their bodies should not resent death, for this is what they have desired throughout their mortal lives (68b). Socrates said that a true philosopher should firmly believe that he will never attain true knowledge unless he is in the afterlife (68b). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In essence, true philosophers should distance themselves from the body's desires for pleasure, live a life where their soul and body are not associated, and wait for death to be freed from the prison of their body. Socrates concluded that.