The First Disagreement. As suggested above, truly persuading ourselves, for Socrates, depends on our care about the truth and our proximity to it. Now, I show that the search for self- persuasion leads to the expansion of our knowledge. To this end, allow me to briefly scrutinize Xxxxxxxx’ argument against suicide. Xxxxxxxx maintains that suicide is not permissible although it is better for some people, at certain times, to be dead than to be alive. This is because, for Xxxxxxxx, gods take care of us and humans are one of the gods’ possessions. If so, we would make gods angry by killing ourselves. For Xxxxxxxx, we should not kill ourselves ‘until god imposes some necessity’. 136 Xxxxxxxx, in this respect, believes that the Athenians’ jury posed this necessity when they decided to put him to death; hence, Xxxxxxxx is permitted to kill himself. Therefore, since true philosophers are willing to die,137 though Xxxxxxxx has not yet given any reason for this, Xxxxxxxx is neither resentful of dying nor afraid of acting against the will of the gods. Xxxxx, however, opposes Xxxxxxxx by maintaining that it is unreasonable for the wisest people, true philosophers, to kill themselves because these people should know that the gods are “the best supervisors”. As we are one of the gods’ possessions, and they administer us in the best way, it is unreasonable to escape from gods and to be unresentful of leaving them. For Xxxxx, ‘an unintelligent person, 136 Phd. 62a1-c5. For an analysis of this complex sentence see Gallop 1975:79-83. 137 Phd. 61c1-9. however, might well think so [i.e. he will take better care of himself after he has become free], namely that he should try to escape from his master’.138 Here, we need notice Xxxxxxxx’ welcoming attitude towards Xxxxx’ argument, which praises critical thinking. Xxxxxx relates Xxxxxxxx’ reaction to Xxxxx’ argument as follows: [T10] When Xxxxxxxx heard this he seemed to me delighted by Xxxxx’ persistence, and he looked at us and said: ‘As you can see, Xxxxx is always scrutinizing arguments, and refuses to be convinced straight away of whatever anyone says.’139 Xxxxxxx, too, agrees with Xxxxx and adds that not only should Xxxxxxxx be reluctant to leave good masters behind but also his friends.140 Xxxxxxxx acknowledges what Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx are saying is fair and decides to defend himself ‘in answer to these charges, as if in court’. 141 In the end, Xxxxxxxx will persuade his interlocutors that true philosophers are reasonably willing to die since true...
