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Example research essay topic: Plato Symposium On Love - 1,448 words

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Plato's symposium on love Of all philosophical writings that have been proposed for examination, Plato's Symposium appears to be the most relevant. Many people associate Plato with several doctrines advocated by him in his works. From his standpoint, everything is subordinated to the scale of ranks. The idea of love is high on the list. To prove correctness of my proposition, Ill cite several lines from Symposium and examine Plato's philosophical interpretation of love. Gods do not make direct contact with humans; they communicate and converse with humans entirely through the medium of spirits.

Someone whose wisdom in other areas of expertise and craftsmanship makes one merely a mechanic. There are many spirits, of very different types, and one of them is Love (203 a) In these lines Plato doesnt offer us a serious explanation of Love. The philosopher takes note of Demonology the theory of incorporeal beings, creatures who act as intermediaries between the Gods and people. Diotima expresses the Pythagorean idea by words that Gods do not make direct contact with humans; they communicate and converse with humans entirely through the medium of spirits.

Plato wisely examines the parentage of Eros. He considers that Eros also belongs to such incorporeal beings, the spirits who communicate and converse with humans. Eros fills the gap between the Gods and people and acts as a messenger. In such a way Plato describes and explains the relation between microcosm and macrocosm. In these lines we find a powerful revelation concerning the character of Love.

Drs. T. J. Kuijl interprets these lines and associates Love with desire: This 'demon', a mythical semi-divine entity, can quite well be interpreted as a metaphoric transfiguration and 'divination' of this 'psychic force' called desire.

Especially if we realize that in the Greek culture of that time 'psyche' was a concept not solely restricted to us humans, but that extended to the realm of the transcendent. The metaphor figures Eros' nature as 'demon' to be some sort of a bridge between the two ontological separate and contrary levels of 'reality', with the capacity to transport something from one side to the other (p. 3) Plato's use of language is quite powerful. Although some might get lost in his numerous metaphors, others find the classical complexity astounding. Plato's thoughts are not constrained allowing him to express emotions freely, although a little rough sometimes.

Symposiums use of language is similar to other Plato's writings; it sweeps the viewer off his feet with the amount of emotions expressed, yet to some, it appears strong, biased, and discriminatory. Plato looks for a way to find means of communication as well as sufficient philosophical findings, and it appears to be difficult to balance the two. He also considers that For god mingles not with man but through love all the intercourse and converse of god and man, whether awake or asleep, is carried on. The wisdom which understands this is spiritual; all other wisdom, such as that of the arts and handicrafts, is mean and vulgar" (203 a). Ancient Greece is commonly thought to be a birthplace of modern Western philosophy; many ideas worked out by founders of major philosophical schools or their disciples, were developed further by medieval or modern writers. The philosophers of antiquity, first of all Greeks, contributed much to research and development of ethical problems, even though many of them viewed love quite differently, which concerned the very concept, as well as the means of attaining high moral principles.

Issues that concerned love have been present in philosophers works since ancient time. It was not just a case: mankind has always been preoccupied with the problem of moral choice, good and evil; and love, closely related to moral and religion, has been looked upon as possible to provide some answers for the questions. Thus, love must have emerged when people came to use abstract thinking, began to view their actions on the basis of their being right or wrong, leaving behind their struggle for existence. Ancient Greek distinguishes three types of love: philia, eros and agape. Eros in contemporary Greek language is a passionate love with sensual desire. Plato's considers that although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself.

Eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth. Lovers, artists, and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth by Eros (Encyclopedia Labortalklaw. com, n. p. ) Philia is a dispassionate virtuous love, was developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. Philia is motivated by practical reasons; one or both of the parties benefit from the relationship (Encyclopedia Labortalklaw.

com, n. p. ) Unlike the previous two types of love, agape is not limited to being held hostage by its environment and someone's perception. The reason why agape can soar above these is because it is based upon the commitment of a decision. It entails the decision to proactively seek someone's well-being. Since it is not a knee jerk reaction nor just a responsive feeling to how I've been treated, agape is capable of acting in a hostile environment where there are no warm fuzzy feelings (A Short Handbook on Love, n. p. ) In Plato's understanding, Eros is "in a mean between ignorance and knowledge, "he is by nature neither mortal nor immortal" (C 203 e 7) and Eros is an intermediary between the earth and heaven: he is "the mediator who spans the chasm which dwindles them" (202 e).

Love, as Plato comprehends it, is being free from restrains that limit life choices, paths, and way of living life. Love is feeling of not having something. If one seeks beauty, love then must feel lack of beauty. He tells using the classic style of myth (sometimes the truth is too great to be understood intellectually) that many years ago when the God created the world, the souls of men became separated. They were divided into small parts until they became thousands and thousands of small pieces.

These separated souls felt that they had lost something. The souls felt they lack a half. This concept lies in the basis of science of twin-souls and the meaning of Love as it is. Plato understands Love as need of each person to find something that once was the part of his own.

Plato interprets Love as search of lost Unity, Beauty, the search of harmony of antipodes and harmony of similarity. We miss our half, so we need to find an antipode. At the same time, due to spiritual unity, we need to find similarity. Plato explains that if the souls have ever been the one part, they feel necessity to meet again. The more rational and abstract form is, the more immortal life is. Platonic love is guided but by sexual desire, but by desire of eternity in Beauty and Kindness.

In such a way, love according to Plato is based on ideal perception of existence forming the personality. We can hardly guess whether the body is a source of sexuality. It is rather the lower level of love. When we climb up, we reach culture and the higher we climb, the more immortality, good and happiness we get. We can find the grounds of desire to become a single whole with beloved person, to prolong satisfaction, to reach the depth of sense and to reach perfection. This desire can be noticed in Eros in wisdom of ancient philosophers.

In his Symposium Plato shows the relation between mortal and immortal. He considers that birth is the special share of immortal and eternity given to mortal creature. On the other hand, love is a desire to have the good. When we desire a good, we desire immortality. It means that love is a desire of immortal. Plato interprets love through the prism of formal and teleological concepts.

His conclusions are based on ethical and moral standards. Platonic love can be understood through the aim of love basing on moral categories of unity and perfection. In Symposium, Plato does not only help the reader comprehend her own understanding of love, but he also provides examples of what love means to him and how he goes about achieving it. Bibliography A Short Handbook on Love.

Retrieved October 3, 2005. < web > Drs. T. J. Kuijl (1999). Art, science and transcendence: a comparison between Tolstoy and Plato. Retrieved October 3, 2005. < web > Encyclopedia Labortalklaw.

com Website. Retrieved October 3, 2005... < web > Plato. The Symposium. Retrieved March 25, 2005. < web >


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