Symposium

Name: Symposium
Author: Plato

By Plato

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Classics of Literature Philosophy & Ethics

About This Book

A retelling frames a convivial banquet where several guests deliver successive encomia to Love, each offering a different account of its origins, aims, and moral effects. Speeches range from poetic and comic myths to medical and legalized distinctions between noble and common love, exploring eros as desire for beauty, procreation, and excellence. Socrates interrogates assumptions and relays a teacher's account that reconceives erotic longing as a philosophical ascent toward the Form of Beauty. The evening ends with an intoxicated companion praising Socrates, complicating the earlier theorizing and exposing tensions between reputation, desire, and the pursuit of wisdom.

About the Author

Plato

Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher, a student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, whose works have profoundly influenced Western philosophy. He is best known for his dialogues, which explore various philosophical themes including ethics, politics, and metaphysics. Among his most notable works is the "Apology," which presents Socrates' defense during his trial. Plato founded the Academy in Athens, one of the earliest institutions of higher learning in the Western world. His writings, characterized by their dialectical method and exploration of ideal forms, continue to be studied for their insights into human thought and society.