The philosophical debate begins as Socrates states that a true philosopher "has reason to be of good cheer when he is about to die", although suicide is not acceptable. Cebes is confused by what seems to be a contradiction because for those who would consider death a blessing, cannot take their own lives, but must wait for their lives to be taken from them. Socrates explains that the "gods are our guardians, and that we are a possession of theirs", and so have no right to harm ourselves. True philosophers spend their entire lives preparing for death and dying, so it would be inappropriate if they were to be sad when the moment of death finally arrived. "I am afraid that other people do not realize that the one aim of those who practice philosophy in the proper manner is to practice for dying and death."
While the body desires pleasures of the flesh, the soul desires wisdom. Truth cannot be perceived by senses. So if the search for final and absolute truth is accompanied by one's body, the person is bound to be deceived. "For whenever it attempts to examine anything with the body, it is clearly deceived by it." A philosopher must avoid the lusts and desires that trouble the soul when it is imprisoned within the body. He knows not to place the highest value on the pleasures of the body, such as eating and drinking. Each pleasure and pain is like a nail that pins the soul to the body, making it less able to escape. A philosopher will break free of these nails by listening only to reason and preparing for a contented life after death. Socrates continues his argument by stating that justice, beauty, and goodness in their final or absolute form have never been perceived by the eyes, ears, or any other bodily sense. So as long as we are in the body and the soul is mix ...