Guardini, Plato and Nearness of Dying

Abstract

The authors of the article have tried to present the experience of the closeness of death in Guardini’s interpretation of Plato’s dialogues between Socrates and his devoted disciples who could not accept the decision of their master and friend. Guardini’s interpretations were written as a philosophical analysis of the state of Socrates' mind, it is not a psychological analysis of his emotions or emotional states. Guardini wishes to reveal how Socrates faces the mystery of death as a philosopher. The authors focused on the dialogues between Socrates and his disciples and how Plato as his disciple and chronicler describes his conflict with oneself and the mentality of his followers on the mythological, political and philosophical meaning of death. In line with this topic, the article is divided into four sections. The first introduces the reader to the philosophical and religious meaning of death, and the second with disclosure of myths in dialogues, Euthyphro, judges, and Crito. In the third section, the authors outline why the dialogue with Phaedo is the most important of the dialogues on the issue of death. The fourth part of the article reveals the reasons why this interpretation is crucial for the later development of Guardini’s philosophical opus.