The soul: the mortal companion of the body In the Phaedo, Socrates, Cebes and Simmias discuss whether a person's soul is immortal or not. Socrates argues that the soul is eternal because of the idea of ​​remembrance, the "opposites" argument, and the idea of ​​affinity. The affinity argument holds up well, but the other two arguments only suggest that the soul existed before, not that it will exist forever afterward. On the other hand, the contradictions of Cebes and Simmias using analogies based on concrete scenarios better show the soul as an entity as vulnerable to death as the body. I conclude that Socrates' theories of “opposites” and remembrance may provide temporary immortality to the soul, but the soul is not eternal. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayThe immortality of the soul would suggest that the soul would exist after a person's physical death, posing as an opportunity to enter the afterlife or even possess another person for another life. Socrates' idea of ​​recollection states that a person does not "learn" during his lifetime, but rather remembers knowledge he had forgotten, suggesting that there was a past life in which he knew the knowledge. Therefore, the soul must have existed before the person was born. The conclusion of Socrates' “opposites” argument is that the souls of the dead exist somewhere. Both arguments only suggest that a person can remember past things and that the dead of the past exist, but the soul itself is not described as immortal. Socrates' argument for the soul's immortality due to memory may explain a person's ability to know something through intuition or prior knowledge, but it is not related to the soul's potential to live forever. The soul might exist before a person was born, but there is no certainty about what will happen after that particular person dies. The argument that Cebes provides through his weaver analogy can explain the possible outcome of the soul, as well as explain memory. Cebes's analogy suggests that the soul can live for a finite number of lifetimes, just as a weaver can weave a finite amount of cloth before death. The possibility of several lifetimes gives memory its potential, but eventually the soul must expire, while memory alone cannot explain why the soul should have continued to live instead. Socrates explains that the soul has a special unity with the body. Simmias discusses this special bond regarding the lyre and harmony. The harmony itself is an invisible entity, while the body and the bow are the physical components. However, since it is necessary to play the lyre to reproduce harmony, there is a vital bond between them, so if the lyre were destroyed the harmony would cease to exist. Likewise, the quality of the body can have a huge impact on the quality of the soul. In this case, Socrates' affinity case, in which he argues that the soul cannot be “dissolved” or “dispersed,” may counter this argument; however, the case that the soul is immortal due to its potential resemblance to other invisible things such as gods, only holds for good individuals who can meet the sufficient criteria to do so. But there will be people whose lives can be manipulated by physical desires, which can cause the destruction of the body and therefore, in this context, also the soul. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, the soul may be an invisible entity, but not an immortal one. Like the body, the soul is not immune to the possibility of deformation and.