The Role of the Misology Argument Sample Clauses

The Role of the Misology Argument. Having discussed how to construct the relationship between epistemic fear and the misology argument, I will now move on to investigate the role of the misology argument. Here, it is important to ask why Xxxxxxxx scrutinized misology at length rather than immediately demonstrating the immortality (and imperishability) of the soul. Xxxxxxxx, I submit, could have presented an argument that might persuade his interlocutors and alleviate the epistemic fear of his friends. In fact, as we will see later, Xxxxxxxx has that sort of argument up his sleeve, namely the last proof.308 If Xxxxxxxx had introduced the last proof (as well as the theories and methods used in this proof) at this stage, he could have said that “this is a good argument that you would agree to, and so don’t lose your faith in arguments”. This would be the best of both worlds, not to mention that it is shorter and easier: Xxxxxxxx’ friends would regain their trust in arguments and Xxxxxxxx would accomplish a goal of the Phaedo, which is to persuade his interlocutors about the immortality of the soul.309 As mentioned above, an explanation of the purpose of the misology passage is as follows: Xxxxx wishes to criticize those who have spent their time dealing with the arguments used in disputation (antilogike) and to show why their practice is dangerous, should they desire to acquire knowledge and the truth.310 Xxxxx’s criticism the immortality of the soul], refusing to give up until one is exhausted from considering it in every way, is the mark of an extremely feeble sort of man (Phd. 85c4-6)’. 308 Phd. 102ff. 309 Xxxxxx (1986, 129-131) claims that the Phaedo is not about the immortality of soul, but about “the heroic death of Xxxxxxxx” and ‘only the philosopher – as epitomized in the person of Xxxxxxxx – can meet death heroically’. This is because, for Xxxxxx, ‘only the philosopher knows that he cannot know about the afterlife and the soul, and he is thus the only one who can die courageously’. Then Xxxxxx concludes that the weakness of the proofs for the immortality of the soul implies that ‘Xxxxxxxx is the most heroic when his arguments are weakest’. However, even if we accept that his arguments are weak, I do not think that this weakness aims at highlighting Xxxxxxxx’ heroism and courage. As I claim throughout this thesis, Xxxxxxxx does not think that his arguments are weak, yet he believes that they might not be totally firm and sound; hence in need of further inquiry.