The question of immortality is an ancient one and is key in philosophy and religion. Man lives a span of years and then dies, and probably from the very beginning of the human race men and women have wondered if there is something beyond death. Philosophers have attempted to prove that immortality does or does not exist, with varying results. Plato addresses the issue with a series of "proofs" argued by Phaedo and Socrates in the Phaedo. Plato in this dialogue addresses the question of immortality directly and attempts to prove that immortality is a truth that has to be accepted by reasoning man. Plato's spokesman, Socrates, believes in the eternal life of the soul and guides the discussion toward indicating several reasons for this belief. Many of the reasons given are highly speculative in nature and involve a world-view including Plato's cosmogony and his concept of pre-existing Forms.
The question of the immortality of the soul is tied up with the definition of just what death is. Death is defined by Socrates as being the separation of the body and the soul, and the arguments Socrates offers as proofs all begin with this separation. Death, or the freeing of the soul from the body, is seen by Socrates as being the ultimate philosophical quest for truth. The body is a distraction to the soul, impairing the soul's pursuit of the truth with physical needs for food, earthly desires, and the lure of the senses. The senses deceive, and for the soul to approach the truth, it must get as far as possible from the body. Death provides an opportunity, then, by offering the ultimate distance between the body and the soul. Death is therefore not to be feared since it represents the philosopher's closest possible approach to reasoning and truth. Socrates will be freed of the demands of the body and the distractions and misperceptions of the senses. At this point, the soul freed from the body by death can most closely attain the ...