Comparing Socrates And Epicurus Views On Death
Both Socrates and Epicurus have different but similar views on how we should view death, but come to the conclusion that we should not worry when the time comes to die. Within the next paragraphs I will compare and contrast each viewpoint.
First of all, Socrates’ views on death are that death should not be feared because nobody but the Gods know what happens to us after we die. Therefore it would not be wise for someone to fear the unknown: “...death is a blessing, for it is one of two things: either the dead are nothing and have no perception of anything, or it is, as we are told, a change and a relocating for the soul to from here to another place.” (40d) I interpret this as Socrates’ stating that he, himself, is choosing to not fear death because there is no way of anyone, alive, knowing what death is like because no living soul has experienced death first hand. Therefore no one should fear death because you will never be able to control or even know the outcome. Another philosopher named Epicurus has a couple of beliefs as to how we should view death.
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Epicurus states this because he believes that death does not involve pleasure or pain, and that the only thing that is bad for man is pain. Death, as described, by Epicurus does not mean the physical act of dying, and/or the moment in which a person would die, but instead meant death as what happens when a person is no longer living or alive.”...death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.” (pg. 7) Therefore Epicurus’ opinion of death is sound because a person would not be alive/around to experience what we are prescribed to be as pain or pleasure. Now onto the differences between both
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