Shirley asked:

In Phaedowhat are Cebes' objections to Socrates' statements about death?

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Together with Cebes, the Pythagorean philosopher, I say, "I will tell you":

One of the chief topics for discussion in the Phaedois the immortality of the soul, proposed by
Socrates. Cebes objects this immortality twice: in 69e-70c and in 86e-88b.

While Cebes is willing to admit that the soul is more lasting than the body, that "the existence of the
soul before entering into the bodily form has been very ingeniously, and, as I may be allowed to say,
quite sufficiently proven [86a], he objects the existence of the soul after death, which "is still, in my
judgment, unproven.", as Cebes says.

The main point of Cebes' objection is, that the more lasting nature of the soul does not prove her
immortality, for after having worn out many bodies in a single life, and many more in successive births
and deaths, she may at last perish, or, as Socrates afterwards restates the objection, the very act of
birth may be the beginning of her death, and her last body may survive her, just as the coat of an old
weaver is left behind him after he is dead, although a man is more lasting than his coat. And he who
would prove the immortality of the soul, must prove not only that the soul outlives one or many
bodies, but that she outlives them all.

If you are interested in the structure and narrative outline of the Phaedo, you will find useful
information at http://www.webster.edu/~evansja/guides/plato/phaedo.html. And for further studies I
recommend the virtual learning environment "Exploring Plato's Dialogues" at
http://plato.evansville.edu/.

Simone Klein

Virtuelle Schule Österreich

Department Philosophie & Psychologie

www.virtuelleschule.at