PHAEDO OUTLINE

I.    Circumstances of the dialogue 57A-61B

II.   Introductory

       A.  The philosopher is preparing for death 61C-68B     

       B.  Virtue (areté) is knowledge 68C-69E

III.  Three inadequate arguments for immortality

       A. Opposites 70A-72E

       B.  "Doctrine"of recollection 72E-77E

       C.  Analogy 77E-81A

IV.   Interlude: myth about the fate of souls after death 81B-84B 

V.    Arguments against immortality, involving theories about the nature of soul

       A.  Simmias: the soul is the harmony of the body  84C-86E

       B.  Cebes: the soul is a thing like the body, but immaterial  87A-88B

VI.   Interlude:  warning against misology 88B-91C

VII. Answer to Simmias

       A.  Recollection 91C-92E

       B.  Impossible to explain virtue and vice 93A-94B

       C.  Inconsistent with choice 94B-95A

VIII. Indirect answer to Cebes.  Nature of explanation 95B-102A

IX.   Final theory:  soul is one of the forms  102A-107B

X.    Mythology about the next world  107D-115A

XI.   Death of Socrates 115A-118

 

SOCRATES