To fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise: for it is to think that we know what we do not know. For anything that men can tell, death may be the greatest good that can happen to them: but they fear it as if they know quite well that it was the greatest of evils. And what is this but that shameful ignorance of thinking that we know what we do not know?

Summary

In this quote, Socrates challenges the fear of death by highlighting the arrogance of assuming we understand something unknowable. He suggests that fearing death stems from a lack of true wisdom, as it implies we claim knowledge about an experience we cannot fully comprehend. Socrates argues that there is a possibility that death could even be the greatest blessing, freeing individuals from earthly troubles. He characterizes the fear of death as a manifestation of our ignorance, presuming knowledge where there is none, therefore displaying a misguided perception of reality.

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