In this assignment, I will explain why Socrates should have included a discussion of reincarnation in his argument concerning the relationship between philosophy and death. He made many arguments throughout the readings and perhaps none more philosophically important than that one. Socrates made several compelling arguments throughout "Phaedo" the ones that are relevant to the importance of reincarnation are his arguments on suicide, the soul and body, the theory of recollection, and the nature of the soul. I will state the importance of reincarnation in each of these arguments throughout this paper. The first of the important arguments made by Socrates was on the question of suicide where Socrates argues that suicide is the wrong thing to do. He says this because he feels that men are the possessions of the gods and should not make the decision to end their own lives but should wait until it is their time. He argues this point to his friend Cebes as such "Would you not be angry if one of your possessions killed itself when you had not given any sign that you wished it to die, and if you had any punishment you could inflict, you would inflict it?" (Phaedo 54). When making this argument Socrates clearly has reincarnation on his mind, why else would he be worried about upsetting the gods and the implication that may have on his soul after death? He felt the Gods are our possessors and we would upset the Gods by taking our own lives as they would take it for us when they were ready. Socrates was not resentful of being put to death as he was hopeful for the future that awaited him after death, with a significantly better one after death for the good than the wicked. Socrates felt he had practiced true philosophy in the proper manner, therefore be was practicing for dying and death. Reincarnation is included concerning Socrates philosophical point and death in this argument. The next argument Socrates makes is one concerning the soul and body. He argues that death is nothing more than the soul being separating from the body and all the distractions that go with it. Socrates also states that a true philosopher is not interested in the pleasures and temptations of the body such as food, wealth, and the pleasures of sex. A true philosopher is interested in the mind and the soul. He makes the point to his friend Simmias "It has really shown us that, if we are ever to have pure knowledge, we must escape from the body and observe things in themselves with the soul by itself" (Phaedo 58). Separation from the soul and body is called death and so it seems that Socrates is saying that death is not a bad thing, but it is also not something that one should initiate them as to upset the Gods. It was a Simmias who said "those who practice philosophy correctly are, in face, training for death and fear it least of all men. Simmias then brings up the point