The dialectic simply means question/answer format. The major points to be highlighted in this text have already been discussed in the summary section, and they are: the essence criterion, the one over the many principle, and love of wisdom. The essence criterion is a feature of Platonic dialogues whereby he wants the answer to Socratic questions to reveal the true nature of whatever it is the characters are trying to learn about. For example, the essence of a chair is its "chairness", or in other words not only its function (to be sat upon), but also its nature (whatever the nature of a chair may be). And Euthyphro has trouble giving the essence of piety because he instead gives examples or incorrect answers.
The poetry of Sappho and the numerous speeches in Plato’s Symposium both deal primarily with homoerotic love. Sappho, one of the only female poets in Ancient Greece, speaks from the female perspective whereas Plato’s work focuses on the nature of this love between men. Several fundamental elements are common to both perspectives, including similar ideals of youth and beauty as well as the idea of desire as integral to both views on love. Despite these similarities, there is an important distinction, which can be understood in terms of Pausanias’ concepts of Common versus Celestial Love. Common lovers are focused more on the physical experience than the intellectual contact in a relationship.
Surrendered Treasures and Loving Heart’s Love is a much talked about concept throughout literature. There is no shortage of debates and opinions on this very emotional and touchy topic. ‘‘The Gift of the Magi’’ is arguably one of O. Henry’s most popular short stories and is no exception. In this story, we see a young, unwealthy couple demonstrate true devotion and affection for one another. I propose that, in order to fully grasp Henry’s meaning behind this story, we must first examine the theme of love.
Tolstoy is very successful in creating a work of literature that exposes the reader to a variety of feelings that love entails. The constant array of both successful and unsuccessful relations in this dramatic novel can be appropriately evaluated by applying Sternberg’s theory. One of the most devastating and disheartening love affairs in Anna Karenina occurs between Anna and Karenin. Anna is a beautiful, intelligent, and respected woman of high society. She is both spiritual and affectionate, and her
Philosophy of Love I. Introduction A. State and explain the purpose of the paper. The purpose of this paper is to define love beyond the general understanding. I plan to incorporate the views of Socrates, Schropenhauer, Nietzche, and Allen to reach a conclusion of love being something that detaches from the self.
Phronesis 54 (2009) 297-325 brill.nl/phro Diotima’s Eudaemonism: Intrinsic Value and Rational Motivation in Plato’s Symposium Ralph Wedgwood Merton College, Oxford OX1 4JD, UK ralph.wedgwood@merton.ox.ac.uk Abstract This paper gives a new interpretation of the central section of Plato’s Symposium (199d212a). According to this interpretation, the term “καλόν”, as used by Plato here, stands for what many contemporary philosophers call “intrinsic value”; and “love” (ἔρως) is in effect rational motivation, which for Plato consists in the desire to “possess” intrinsically valuable things – that is, according to Plato, to be happy – for as long as possible. An explanation is given of why Plato believes that “possessing” intrinsically valuable things, at least for mortals like us, consists in actively creating instantiations of the intrinsic values, both in oneself and in the external world, and in knowing and loving these intrinsic values and their instantiations. Finally, it is argued that this interpretation reveals that Plato’s “eudaemonism” is a different and more defensible doctrine than many commentators believe. Keywords Plato, Symposium, intrinsic value, rational motivation, eudaemonism 0.
In "Beginning of the Songs of Delight", Papyrus Harris 500 demonstrates fanciful love through "…apportioned to you is my heart,/ I do for you what it desires,/ when I am in your arms" (lines 1-3). In Shakespeare's "Othello", the Moor and Desdemona declare their love for one another, at the protest of her father and the disbelief of the councilmen (Act I, scene iii). Their romantic love was unrealistic because of their age difference, and fanciful because she was intrigued by the stories of heroism and daring that he imparted to her. Passionate love is, by definition, ruled by intense emotion and marked by intense feelings as is expressed in "My body thrives, my heart exults/ At our walking
Famous literary critic and author Rebecca West encompassed this mentality as she said, “I really write to find out what I know about something and what is to be known about something.” Simply put to write is to know, therefore writing is a form of expression used to manifest our thoughts on to paper. According to ideas of Socrates, if knowledge and wisdom are possessed by the individual, he in continuing knows himself. A good writer can be differentiated from others, based upon his willingness to go against what is expected and push the envelope. The only way to obtain this confidence in life and in one’s writing is to develop this way of thinking, believing that the majority is wrong, and resisting “common nonsense.” The best writing comes from a piece of work that makes one think, that makes one question his own knowledge. Socrates conceived the notion that everyone has the ability to reflect upon their own life and see their world through only their
f. Platonic Love In the Symposium, which is normally dated at the beginning of the middle period, and in the Phaedrus, which is dated at the end of the middle period or later yet, Plato introduces his theory of erôs (usually translated as “love”). Several passages and images from these dialogues continued to show up in Western culture—for example, the image of two lovers as being each other’s “other half,” which Plato assigns to Aristophanes in the Symposium. Also in that dialogue, we are told of the “ladder of love,” by which the lover can ascend to direct cognitive contact with (usually compared to a kind of vision of) Beauty Itself. In the Phaedrus, love is revealed to be the great “divine madness” through which the wings of the lover’s soul may sprout, allowing the lover to take flight to all of the highest aspirations and achievements possible for humankind. In both of these dialogues, Plato clearly regards actual physical or sexual contact between lovers as degraded and wasteful forms of erotic expression.
Love vs. Infatuation Tabitha Price Ashford University English 121 Dr. Justin Burmit 9/17/2012 Love vs. Infatuation In every human, there is a deep burning desire to love and be loved. Love in itself is often confused with similar emotions caused by infatuation. I have had many friends jump so quickly into relationships and even marriage based on feelings. When things get tough they give up. Would real love just give up because times are hard?