Philosopher (c417BC – ?)
Socrates’ favourite student, he was born to an aristocratic family but was made a prisoner of war and sold as a slave until he was freed by one of Socrates’ friends after Socrates’ own decision. His name means shining one.
Little is known about Phaedon’s philosophic theories or his life. Based on the very few surviving excerpts of his works, Phaedon believed that through philosophy one reaches true freedom and is rid of his spiritual passions. In spite of the very little information about him, it can be certain that he was at the same level as all of Socrates’ other students, all of whom achieved widespread fame. The fact that he was Socrates’ favourite student shows that he was undoubtedly a brilliant philosopher with great intellect and creativity. Phaedon was a skilled warrior and patriot who had participated in the Eliospartan war.
After his teacher’s death, Phaedon returned to his homeland in Peloponnese and founded a philosophic school, the “Socratic School of Elis”, where he taught successfully for many years. Phaedon, however, became known in the world of philosophy as a result of one of Plato’s writings entitled “Phaedon” after the philosopher. In this book, Plato describes the final moments of Socrates with his students in prison before drinking the hemlock and his discussions with them and his friends. In it, Phaedon is the central figure of a discussion with a Pythagorean philosopher named Echecrates about Socrates’ ideas on the immortality of the soul, for which he spoke about during the final moments of his life in the presence of his students, including Phaedon. It is a book that deals with the continuity of life after death.
Bibliography
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. ”Phaedon of Elis” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
- Pleuris, Konstantinos. Greek Philosophers. Athens: Hilektron, 2013. Print.
