(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

The Immortality of Plato's Love

Naturally, if the object of love is "the good", people who love want to have "the good" forever (206a). The progression from the initial definition of a lover as a concrete individual who wants the good forever to the definition of love as an abstract "desire to have the good forever" (206a) sets up a similar progression from a concrete function of love to an abstract function which is at the core of Platonic love.
             If the object of love is to have the good forever, the function of love is "giving birth in beauty both in body and in mind." (206b) Diotima begins her explanation of how "all human beings are pregnant in body and in mind" (206c) by discussing the concrete, physical pregnancy of the body. Heterosexual relations and the child a woman bears as a result of them are a beautiful end of love because they perpetuate man. This perpetuation is essential because if love wants to possess the good forever, then love requires the immortality reproduction creates (206a). Reproduction creates immortality because just as a man's body is constantly being renewed and he is still called the man, a man who grows old and leaves a new man in his place is also renewing himself (207d-208b).
             The shift to the abstract "pregnancy of the mind" hinges on the extension of this analogy to the mind and knowledge, saying that it grows old and must be replaced just like the body (207e ­ 208a). This implies the existence of conceptual children as well as physical ones, and Diotima gives an example of the former by noting man's love for honor, his desire that his name ring down through the ages­ "it is immortality they are in love with." (208c-e) Just as the pregnancy of a man's body is released through impregnating the body of a fertile woman (208e), the pregnancy of a man's mind is released through teaching the mind of another intelligent man (209b). .
             The possibility of a woman having a fit mind for wisdom is not even considered by Plato in this argument.


Essays Related to The Immortality of Plato's Love

1. plotinus and plato

People loved him and appreciated him. ... Plato and Plotinus both aggreed that the soul, must begin with love of physical beauty then through appreciation of abstract beauty and end with the vision of beauty itself. This they believed was the key to immortality. ... They both talked about the immortality of the soul. ... They both believed that when the soul achieves the greatest peak of knowledge and love it joins all other souls again. ...

  • Word Count: 816
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

2. plato

As we see from Plato's Symposium, even the wisest of men in a time when the search for knowledge was seen as the pathway to enlightenment love was still a concept that was not understood and unknown. ... The writing serves as a pamphlet that depicts some of the guidelines of love as the philosophers of Plato's time saw them. ... It seemed as though in each of the lectures given, Plato put a message into each one. ... The woman proposes that the main motive behind the sacrifice may be that it is a way to gain immortality. ... Yet in the reasoning that comes about from this ide...

  • Word Count: 2004
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Plato's Main Ideas on Religion

Some accredit Plato with the invention of philosophy, while A. ... This contrasts with Plato's initial postulation of a Demiurge. ... Plato used this argument as the basis for his doctrine on the Forms. ... Immortality of the soul could suggest that a creator gave life to human beings for a greater purpose. Alternatively Pailin discusses that 'when the soul separates from the body it is released of human ills and secure of bliss because, it no longer must interpret the forms through imperfect senses.'10 Immortality of the Soul could be a consequence of its intrinsic indestructi...

  • Word Count: 2979
  • Approx Pages: 12
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Plato And Aristotle On Women And Society

These criticisms range from the over-unified state to the perpetual happiness of Plato's farming and merchant class including every notion of Plato's in between. ... Those whose creative instinct is physical have recourse to women, and show their love in this way believing the by begetting children they can secure an immortal and blessed memory hereafter forever; but there are some whose creative desire is of the soul and who long to beget spiritually, not physically, the progeny which it is the nature of the soul to create and bring to birth. ... Along these lines, Plato implies t...

  • Word Count: 1570
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Aristotle Vs. Plato

Both men possessed a superior intellect; indeed, this is an illustrative example of how, their fundamental differences included the theory of the forms, immortality and their contrasting views on human virtues. ... In the philosophy of Plato, the word "form" has a special meaning. ... Plato's position lacks proof. ... Plato thought so; after all, everyone seems to have access to it. It all sounds plausible, so where are the perfect squares, perfect triangles, circles, trees, love, justice, etc? ...

  • Word Count: 2623
  • Approx Pages: 10

6. Aeschylus, Sophocles, Plato And Dante

Plato interprets dike as acting in accordance to one's station in life. ... Plato relates this concept in the allegory of the line. ... It is important to note that Dante believed in free will and that we can choose to love God or deny God. ... Plato believed that the highest goal was knowledge of the good. ... When a person dies the soul goes into the realm of immortality where the improvements you made in your last life carry over to your soul. ...

  • Word Count: 1953
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Grade Level: High School

7. philosophy and philosophers

The word philosophy originated from Greek words philia (love) and sophia (wisdom) carrying the meaning love of wisdom. ... It could also be described as the love of wisdom. ... Virtue, morality, immortality, death, and the difference between the psyche (soul) and the soma (body) are just a few of the many different topics which can be covered under the umbrella of philosophy. ... The basis of his teaching was the belief in an objective understandign of concepts such as justice, love or virtue. ... Plato began his philosophical career as a student of Socrates. ...

  • Word Count: 1341
  • Approx Pages: 5

8. Philosophy and its Philosophers

The word philosophy originated from Greek words philia (love) and sophia (wisdom) carrying the meaning love of wisdom. ... It could also be described as the love of wisdom. ... Virtue, morality, immortality, death, and the difference between the psyche (soul) and the soma (body) are just a few of the many different topics which can be covered under the umbrella of philosophy. ... The basis of his teaching was the belief in an objective understandign of concepts such as justice, love or virtue. ... Plato began his philosophical career as a student of Socrates. ...

  • Word Count: 1340
  • Approx Pages: 5

9. Socrates

In Plato's Symposium there are three major speeches given by Aristophanes, Socrates and Alcibiades, where each portrays a different aspect of human sexuality and love. ... Upon further analyzation of Aristophanes" speech one can infer that once humans were united with their other halves love would cease, because the search for the object of your love would be over. Thus if the driving force behind your love was the constant search for your beloved, then it can be inferred that once you find your beloved, the driving force behind your love ceases therefore so would the love. Secondly, t...

  • Word Count: 608
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question