Final answer:
Socrates did not believe in avoiding death at all costs; instead, he prized virtue and the integrity of the soul over physical survival. He considered living an examined life and maintaining good character paramount, even if it meant facing death.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Socrates, a person should not contrive to avoid death at all costs. For Socrates, the focus of life should be on the pursuit of virtue and the health of the soul rather than the mere avoidance of physical death. He emphasized that the greatest harm to a person is the corruption of their character or soul, which comes from making harmful choices. Socrates claimed that no harm can come to a good man, either in life or death, since true harm would be the damage to his character and virtue.
Socrates further demonstrated his beliefs through his actions. When given the opportunity to escape his death sentence and live in exile, Socrates chose instead to accept his execution rather than compromise his principles. His argument was that escaping would go against his lifelong commitment to living an examined life, a life dedicated to philosophy and truth, which he valued over physical survival.