In the Phaedo, Plato addresses a question that has interested man probably since man became aware of death, the question of the immortality of the soul and of the possibility of life after death. Plato sees this idea of the immortality of the soul as one that has to be accepted by reasoning man. In the Phaedo, Socrates, representing Plato's position, believes in the eternal life of the soul and guides the discussion in the direction of accepting this idea, offering as he does so several proofs for the immortality of the soul. Immortality was a subject of immediate interest to Socrates at this time because this discussion takes place on the last day Socrates is to spend in prison before his execution. Socrates does not fear death because he has complete faith in immortality. He wants to convince his followers to believe in immortality as well. In part, he wants them to be free of anxiety over his fate, and he uses the occasion to speculate on the idea of immortality and to examine the various proofs that could be offered for immortality based on the nature of the soul.
Socrates presumes the existence of the soul. Proof for the existence of the soul is not offered in this dialogue. Phaedo states that Socrates does not object to dying because he believes in the existence of the soul and knows that the soul will cross over to be with the gods and with other men who have already made this journey to the afterlife: "Although I was witnessing the death of one who was my friend, I had no feeling of pity, for the man appeared happy both in manner and words as he died nobly and without fear. . ." (p. 94). This afterlife is actually superior to this world because the gods are wise and good and the men who have joined the gods have already proven themselves and are thus, as a group, better than the men in the world of the living. Socrates sees death as an opportunity for a new learning experience, much as he sees every aspect of l...