CChapin+Personal+Analysis

Socrates' first argument portrayed in Plato's //The Death of Socrates// claims that when one encounters knowledge they will do their best to act in accord with that knowledge. Socrates doesn't specify whether the reaction is good or bad but he does include that the person with that knowledge will make the best possible out of the situation. In this respect I do agrees with Socrates but it depends on the person to decide what the best route to take is and this is where the argument gets complex. For example take the slave and later freed-man Denmark Vesey who on November 9, 1799 won $1,500 from the city lottery. Thus, he bought his own freedom and began working as a carpenter. Inspired by what he heard from the 1791 Haitian Revolution, which was a success in freeing the slaves Vesey, took his chance to free his fellow slaves of Charleston. Doing what he thought was the best action to take he planned his own slave revolt. The plan was to kill the slave owners, seize Charleston, and sail to Haiti. Unfortunately, the route Vesey took went wrong when the Americans got word of the revolt stirring up and convicted sixty-seven and hung thirty-five slaves. In Vesey's case with the best of his knowledge of slave revolts his revolt wasn't a success but as Socrates says," one will act in accord with that knowledge" (Source A).

Burial Site of Denmark Vesey

In the case of Frederick Douglass who was also a slave but ended up a free black took a different route than Denmark Vesey. Frederick Douglass' owner taught him letters of the alphabet when he was twelve years old and since then he began learning to read from other white children and was always aware of the other writings of men. He read whatever he could get a hold of, especially works containing politics. Frederick Douglass escaped slavery on September 3, 1838 and went to New York where he fought against slavery the best way he knew how, attending abolitionist meetings and writing books (Source B). Both Vesey and Douglass had the knowledge as Socrates said and both acted in accord with that knowledge to the best of their ability. Although each saw a different resolution, neither route was superior and each had its own positive consequences. It is up to each individual to decide what the best resolution to take will be (Source C).

Frederick Douglass' Portrait

Socrates' second argument discusses the idea that death should not be feared because there is nothing to fear. Socrates mentions that the soul after death either remains in a state of unconsciousness or it is transferred to another world. It was pointed out in the analysis of "argument 2" that Socrates includes both a state of unconsciousness and another world to attract more believers but he seems to emphasize the transfer of a soul throughout his dialog much more than the soul being at a sate of unconsciousness after death. This is interesting because according to Vortigern Aedui in //Socrates and Religion//, "Socrates was also anti-Democracy, and at many times praised the Oligarchy of Sparta.” As a teacher, it must have been easier for Socrates to convince others not to fear death by using his own beliefs, which will undoubtedly be easier for him to explain than beliefs he cannot relate to. Although being the clever man he was he still mentioned other beliefs convincing people to not fear death as well because by broadening the amount of beliefs Socrates is increasing his potential amount of followers (Source D).

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CChapin Period 3

Bibliography
 * "Denmark Vesey." Wikipedia. 6 Dec. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation Inc. 8 Dec. 2007 .
 * "Frederick Douglass." Wikipedia. 5 Dec. 2007. 8 Dec. 2007 .
 * Aedui, Vortigern. "Socrates and Religion." The Academia. 14 June 2002. Ancient Worlds LLC. 8 Dec. 2007 .
 * "Frederick Douglass." School of Humanities American Studies. 21 Mar. 2006. Keele University. 8 Dec. 2007 .
 * "1526-1775: From Africa to America." This Far by Faith 1526. 2003. The Faith Project Inc. 8 Dec. 2007 .