Philosophers retain their philosophical minds even at the time of death. From Aristotle and Socrates to Heidegger and Rene de Cartes, philosophy was life and life was philosophy. Nonetheless, death comes as a thief, stealing the precious moments the philosophers shared with the world.
Well, you, just like me, are boggled with the question “What do top philosophers say before death?” Great philosophical works like Aristotle’s The Academy portrays the human body as a cruel jail that imprisons the soul for a lifetime. In his dialogue Eudemus, Aristotle gives a clear reflection of Plato’s view of the soul as a critical element in the human’s body that has been exposed to extensive imprisonment. Aristotle explains that the soul can explore a happier life when it is separated from the body. In this case, Aristotle takes a philosophical stand to picture the dead as happier and more blessed than their living counterparts.
This could be ‘deep’ philosophy. But here is a summary of what top philosophers say before death:
#1 Diogenes
Diogenes lived in d.320 BC. He was once considered as “a Socrates gone mad.” Before death, Diogenes made a plea to be buried with his face down. Reasoning in his dying bed, Diogenes explained that the act should be done “because after a little time down will be converted into up.”
#2 Socrates
History has it that Socrates was accused of corrupting the minds of the young people in Athens and was sentenced to death. The great philosopher spent his concluding days before taking a cup of the executioner’s poison hemlock.
Before dying, Socrates said: “when my sons grow up, gentlemen, punish them by troubling them as I have troubled you; if they seem to you to care for money or anything else more than for virtue, and if they think they amount to something when they do not, rebuke them as I have rebuked you because they do not care for what they ought, and think they amount to something when they are worth nothing… But now the time has come to go away. I go to die and you to live; but which of us goes to the better lot, is known to none but the god.”
#3 Denis Diderot
Dennis Diderot’s death was a little expected as he had taken an exhausting trip from St. Petersburg to visit Catherine the Great of Russia. The philosopher got ill and went silent. Sitting at the table with his wife, Diderot took soup, chicory and boiled mutton. When his wife wanted to stop him from eating chicory, Diderot responded “But what the devil kind of harm do you expect it to do to me?” The philosopher continued eating, then leaned on the table, made a gentle cough, then went into silence never to speak again.
#4 Chrysippus (280-207BC)
Chrysippus is considered as one of the greatest philosophers who doubled up as a stoic. His death involved taking wine. Before death, Chrysippus had spent time eating figs. He told an old woman “Now give the ass a drink of pure wine to wash down the figs” then took his last bow.
