According to White (2004); several scholars have said that Plato’s Symposium was able to get to the summit because of Diotima’s love due to her thoughtful and great admiration of beauty. However, this is not so. He attributes this to the ability of the philosopher to introduce the true virtue and its eternal existence. The author further argues that the virtue that has been brought into question was not from within the soul but from the outside and that the element of living forever should be based on the work that the philosopher was able to leave behind.
The Nature of Love
The nature of love has also been brought to question with many writers researching on this topic (White, 2004). The author further describes Diotima’s love when she had said that love was not beautiful or good, nor was it bad or ugly and concludes that she sought to understand its purpose and function. The author argues that Love involves a strong desire for something, in anticipation that these things become one’s own eventually. However, it is not clearly understood on what happens when the desired things becomes one’s own possession.
Plato and Socrates had a common understanding that the concepts of love and beauty can co-exist (White, 2004). Their understanding, though a bit controversial has been used to make conclusions on what really their symposium held.
The Idea of Self Sacrifice
Diotimas’s explanation of people that they can sometimes perform in the place of others is not justified (White, 2004). This is because the examples used in comparison failed to make sense. The use of physical procreation does not go well with the author. He concludes that there is no sense of how sacrificing people for other lives should be meaningful. Further, he adds that it was not right to compare facts of self-sacrifice to things that were not human.
Socratic argument
It is also argued that when what the heart desires becomes one’s own, and then there is an assurance of an everlasting happiness (White, 2004). Socrates believed that love was respectful, and for which one had to claim. Interpretation of Diotima’s concept in her description of love and the interest of having good and beautiful things, shows how her characterization can be assumed to be de dicto or de re. This was in reference to creatures that had been perceived to have the experience of “good” and “beautiful” the author concludes.
The Concept of Beauty
The idea of beauty is not fully understood. Plato observed that the beauty was hierarchical and asserted that everything that appeared normally desirable was beautiful, something that the text from the symposium had failed to discover (White, 2004). However, this can be misinterpreted if one said that Plato was only concerned with being physically beautiful without customs and values in inner self (Scott, 2008). Diotima also says that love does not entirely rest on human beings but also on inanimate things such as wisdom. Appreciation of the physical beauty was considered important towards acceptance of what is desired.
The Understanding of Intrinsic Value
The principles of morality such as traditions, customs, values and the beauty of the soul were never disregarded altogether (White, 2004). The concept of intrinsic value should not be confused with other forms of non-instrumental and agent neutral values, which of course Plato failed to acknowledge (Wedgwood, 2009). Happiness comes as a result of being in possession of good things. On the other hand, Diotima talked about beauty and love yet she went ahead and said that there was no life somebody should try to live. According to Wedgwood, 2009 love brings about the urge to have something or somebody that is not in one’s possession as at that time. More so, People are likely to be in love with things that are beautiful and not ugly. Further, he notes that Socrates described love as that full of beauty and added that the persons in love owned this sense. Plato, on the other hand, used the Priestess Diotima’s approach to illustrate what the ultimate price of true love should be (White, 2004).
Different people have tried to explain Plato’s believe in the Diotima’s love based on the principles of mysteries that are yet to be understood (Wedgwood, 2009). Questions have been asked regarding how Diotima acquired her knowledge and philosophy about the true nature of love.
Plato’s argument
According to White (2004), the rules of the mind and the soul as well as the element of rationality and that of passion, are all important and should not be overlooked. Plato’s interpretation of intrinsic love and value was propelled by the ability to look at this whole situation when one was rationally motivated (White, 2004). The reason why Plato acknowledged having valuable materials for human beings was because of the capacity to create instances that were self motivated by not only oneself, but also from the outside world. Plato also believed that living a good life included leading one that is surrounded by elements that are intrinsic in nature (Wedgwood, 2009). This was instrumental in giving in depth understanding of what Plato was referring to. However, this analysis might not be the same considering Diotima and Plato believed that people only desired beautiful things that they didn’t have..“De re” has been interpreted as the urge to have beautiful things that are good (Kittay, 2006). This means that they can be harmful and yet considered good. This fails to ascertain the extent to which both ancient writers are talking about.
The Idea of both Man and Woman Being Pregnant
All human beings are usually “pregnant” in mind, body and the soul (Kittay, 2006). Diotima believes that no one can develop a desire for certain things unless they have the impression that it does exist in the first place. The question of Diotima’s lack of involvement with men has also been brought under scrutiny. Diotima made Plato believe that all people deserved not only to be happy but being forever happy. From the Symposium, one wondered how the idea of desire can contribute to one’s own happiness (Kittay, 2006). Just a good partner can develop a love that can surpass their interests. This explains its rejection in the Phaedrus and the Republic that emphasized on the desires that are not rational. This meant that its contribution to having a life full of joy does not exist.
The Understanding of Psychological standards
Diotima’s remarks “there is nothing else that human beings are in love with except the good” at the symposium, left so many questions unanswered, especially on psychological standards. Moreover, her theory about sexual attraction that did not involve humans was considered a desire that is non-rational (White, 2004). Both philosophers do not mention that all desires are good but only talks about love being good. However, some desires do not spring from love which may not be concerned about the happiness or well being of people. It is for these reasons that there is doubt whether the symposium was aimed at supporting psychological know how. It is worth noting that their immense contributions towards rational values are consequently recognized (White, 2004).
Plato’s argument
Plato used the term beautiful more often to describe everything that he came across showing some element of intrinsic value to them. Happy people are so, because of their ability to think of good things (White, 2004). Diotima had dedicated much of her efforts in explaining the desires of being happy. All rational motivations are based on the desire of being happy, therefore, Plato’s failure to explain this during the Symposium, assuming that it was self explanatory (Wedgwood, 2009). Plato thought that everything he learned from his teacher was correct and the gospel truth. This meant that one was free to indulge in whatever they deemed well, so long as it provided happiness. Happiness is described as the ability to uphold good relations that pertain intrinsic values that are ultimately important. Diotima also noted that love was not meant for the beautiful. Love was most importantly bound by the beauty that was first perceived. Plato confessed that those beautiful things were genuine but didn’t confirm whether they were good.
2.
The teaching of these ancient philosophers is clearly full of controversies. Their contributions can be correctly interpreted as resulting in the realization of more evidence and perspectives that had not been understood before (White, 2004).
RESOLVING THE CONTROVERSY
The solution to the concept of both Man and Woman Being Pregnant
Diotima’s idea that love was for procreation could be explained by the fact that some are physically pregnant while others are pregnant in soul (White, 2004). The ones physically pregnant turned out to be women who desired to bear children. This is the ultimate joy of parents due to the joy that children and grandchildren they leave behind when they die. Apart from physical comfort of these parents/lovers, they also get companionship which to them is of high value.
The Understanding of Intrinsic Value
The ultimate achievement people aimed to get was being immortal and happy (Wedgwood, 2009). This means that everlasting joy is ensured. For the lovers who are pregnant in the soul, interpreted means the ability to possess wisdom and justice. It was important because lovers who own wisdom and justice are in a better position of treating their partners with respect, hence obtain happiness. So people associate the feeling with most things they strived to achieve/conquer. Diotima explained that for two people to be engaged romantically, first there was that physical attraction (Wedgwood, 2009). She explained why it was not rare to find that people were initially just attracted, but after some time, the attraction grew into a relationship which could eventually lead to marriage. This was an instance where a man viewed a woman being beautiful as this represented their beautiful lives ahead (Kittay, 2006). What followed was the ability to look at the beauty of the soul where that of the soul was far much more important. This was because looks in most cases were deceptive, and that was why an element of getting to know one another set in (Scott, 2008). This explained the ideology of beauty being the object of love’s recognition globally. All of these were attributed to the mysteries of love that are far much beyond the comprehension of man (Scott, 2008). That is why Diotima says that she can go without meals but yet find comfort in her loved ones. She further reckoned that the striking aspect of a true lover was their virtue but not merely their images. This was usually illustrated through the manner in which people behaved. The lover’s wisdom and desire to make their partners happy, according to Diotima is the key to a happy ending (Kittay, 2006).
The possession of virtues can make one immortal, the reason behind the fact that, at a given point in our lives, all human beings strive to have immortality (Scott, 2008). The use of controversial statements has been the subject of discussion for some time now. This is further explained through the work done by people who are virtuous. However, it has also been noted that not all things that are considered by some people's good can bring happiness (Kittay, 2006). This means that different people perceive things differently, and one thing that brings joy to a person may cause misery to another.
The Idea of Self Sacrifice
Diotima’s theory of love was believed to be continuous. Human beings have the ability to experience love though this is limited to the way people go in search of it. Diotima defines love as the possession of one person’s own good. She further argues that this has made people make sacrifices, and do abnormal things, which they seem not to notice, unless a third party, free from the influence of love confirms the stupid act (Wedgwood, 2009).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it would be prudent to appreciate these two ancient writers, who have done their best in trying to explain what nature has in store for everyone. The use of these types of statements had elicited questions from the audience; the readers. Their arguments, not limited to this text have contributed to what has formed the basis of explaining love today, with happiness been the ultimate end in itself.
References
Lynch, S. (2005). Philosophy and friendship. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Kittay, E. F., & Alcoff, L. M. (2006). The Blackwell Guide to Feminist Philosophy. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Scott, G. A., & Welton, W. A. (2008). Erotic wisdom: Philosophy and intermediary in Plato's Symposium. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Wedgwood, F. (2009) ‘Diotima’s Eudaemonism: Intrinsic Value and Rational Motivation in Plato’s Symposium. Journal of Phronesis.’54(9), pp. 297-325.
White, F.C. (2004) ‘Virtue in Plato’s “Symposium”. Journal of the Classical Quarterly.’ 54(2), pp.366-378
