In this section of Plato's Five Dialogues, Phaedo includes a narrative of the dialogue between Socrates and his friends during his last hours in his cell. Socrates believed that as long as a philosopher's soul is confined to his body, he will never be able to acquire truth due to the body's need for nourishment. Socrates states that philosophers should live pure lives and remain obedient to the gods until they release them from their prisons. In this article I will delve into Socrates' argument that true knowledge cannot be acquired as long as the soul and body are mixed together. Socrates directly states his claim that "we men are in a kind of prison" and that they should not try to escape (62b). The prison Socrates refers to is the human body, and committing suicide is an act of attempting to escape from it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Socrates goes on to explain that people are the property of the gods and that they must do as they direct until their last days on earth (62b). Since people are considered property of the gods, they do not have the privilege of ending their lives unless they are in a similar position to Socrates. Socrates acknowledges that this statement is difficult to understand, but believes that it is conveyed well and that people should follow it without argument. Socrates makes another argument that the body makes it difficult to obtain the truth, because “the body confuses the soul” (66). His statement essentially means that philosophers will never be able to reach an understanding of the truths they are seeking, because our body's need for nourishment constitutes an obstacle (66b). The senses of the body are overflowing with “desires, desires, fears, all sorts of illusions and many nonsense” that prevent rational thinking, and as long as a philosopher is in their body, they will never be able to obtain the pure truth of what they think . they are looking (66e). Socrates believed that as long as the body and soul are connected, philosophers are forced to serve the gods until death and will never truly achieve knowledge. To gain true knowledge, Socrates believed that the philosopher must separate from his body and look at things within the soul itself, and he also noted the contrasts between the two. He established that philosophers have the option of never achieving true knowledge while in their body, or waiting until death to pursue it (66e-67). Socrates thought that philosophers should stay away from the pleasures offered by their bodies, remain pure until God frees them from their prison, and that they would ultimately be rewarded with the knowledge of "all that is pure", which is the truth and is granted only to those who remained pure in their bodies (67b). Socrates continues his reasoning by explaining that philosophers who want their soul to be separated from the body should not resent death, because that is what they desired throughout their mortal lives (68b). Socrates stated that a true philosopher should firmly believe that he will never achieve true knowledge unless he is in the afterlife (68b). Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Basically, true philosophers should turn away from the pleasure desires of the body, live a life in which their souls and bodies are not associated, and wait until death to be released from the prison of their bodies. Socrates concluded that philosophers would never be able to acquire knowledge as long as their souls remained trapped in their bodies. Living one.