Philosophy is a subject with vast range. It examines and explores many different
fields; virtue, morality, immortality, death, and the difference between the body and the soul are just a few of the many diverse issues which can be covered under the broad umbrella of philosophy. Philosophers are people who have strong, well thought out opinions, and are very learned. Among the most admired philosophers of all time was Socrates. In the Phaedo, one of Socrates' finest students, Plato, recorded the inquisitive conversation, between him and his close friends, unfolding the idea of the soul's immortality, just prior to his execution. There, Socrates made a quite powerful declaration. He claimed that philosophy was merely practice for getting used to death and dying. He stated that death is nothing more than the separation of the body from the soul.
Socrates believed that in order for Philosophers to examine their world perfectly and learn the truth accurately, they must remove themselves of all distractions.
Death of Socrates, 1875
The Death of Socrates
Cropped image of a Socrates bust for use in philos...These not only include physical distractions, but they include mental distractions and bodily distractions as well. The body is a major obstacle for philosophers because it keeps one busy in thousands of ways. It fills a person with wants, desires, fears, all sorts of illusions. The true philosopher tries to separate the soul from the body, because that is the only way knowledge and truth can be obtained. Philosophers must get used to viewing and examining the world with out any senses. Senses merely hinder and obscure the truth in which they are in search for. Sight for example can be fooled easily with optical illusions which occur normally in nature. Sound can be very distracting as well when a philosopher is trying to concentrate. All of these bodily distractions cloud judgment, and must therefore be detached...