Plato!

Philosopher, author (Laws, Republic, Symposium)

When did Plato live

427-347BC (5th and 4th century)

What school did Plato create (+ where)

The Academy, Athens

Views on love

-1. Often places his views in the context of society, emphasising that if felt in moderation, can benefit the state.

-2. All-powerful, found in many states, and should be respected.

-3. Differentiates between positive and negative presentations of love

Evidence for love (benefitting the state)

-Phaedrus: Possession by love would infuse even utter cowards with courage’, having the ability to ‘breathe might’ into all (allusions to Sacred Band of Thebes)

-Uses pederasty as a key instance of love benefitting the state- Pausanias believes a relationship to be ‘mutually gratified’ if virtue (for the eromenos) is traded with gratification (for the erases).

-Agathon praises love as ‘self-disciplined’ (positive when not invoking desire), and that ‘both men and gods can thrive as a result of their love’

Evidence for love (POWERFUL)

-Phaedrus presents love as an ‘ancient, primordial god’, with Aristophanes believing that ‘to get on the wrong side of the gods is to oppose love’.

-Aristophanes depicting it in a similarly powerful manner- ‘love is just the name we give to the pursuit of wholeness’ - suggests that ‘we will never find happiness unless we find our perfect love’.

-Erixymachus advocates for love being found in EVERYTHING- ‘the science of medicine is completely governed by love’ (as well as sports, music).

Evidence for love (positive V negative)

POSITIVE:

-’Love is characterised by a high degree of self-discipline, as well as fairness’ (can be moderated)→ Agathon

-Diotima (through Socrates) depicts potential love has on improving ones virtue, allowing for ‘young men’s moral progress’- that is, if it is GOOD love. Seen to be ‘physical and mental procreation in an attractive medium’.

-Pausanius advocates for Uranian eros (between two men, pursuit of knowledge) as the 'correct’ standard of love.

NEGATIVE:

-Pausanias regards Pandemian eros as ‘random’, referring to women as ‘the most unintelligent people imaginable’.

-Socrates differentiates between a desire for love, and a desire for beauty → must see past face beauty to reap the full effects of love.

-Yet, Socrates is able to see that love is neither ugly nor attractive, instead occupying a middle ground (probably Plato’s views)

Views on desire (points)

-Presentation of immoderate desire

-Presentation of moderated desire (+ its time and place)

Evidence of desire (immoderate)

-Depicts the physical symptoms of uncontrolled desire- in Phaedrus, Socrates shows how it encourages the soul to ‘grow wings’, as well as in Charmides, where he likens its effects to being ‘on fire’. Goes on to describe its effects as like ‘nails to the soul’ in Phaedo, comparing desire to disease, as well as like a craving for unhealthy food.

-In Laws, he expresses a concern that if men and women were able to spend as much time together as they wanted, there would need to be increased surveillance of the young to prevent their unbridled lust.

-Pausanius states that ‘a promise inspired by passion is no promise at all’, believing that ‘passion lives like a tyrant’- encouraging men to abandon their virtue. Diotima also states that desire is the ‘lowest rung’ on the ladder of love.

Evidence of desire (when controlled)

-Yet, Plato suggests that the effects of desire can be rechannelled for the good of the state in his Republic. → particularly, Pausanias comments that ‘there’s absolutely nothing wrong with gratifying a lover for the sake of virtue’.

→ in Symposium, views this largely in the context of pederasty, yet in Laws, appears to blame homoerotic relationships as an inability to control desire.

-Imagery of two horses in Phaedrus (the black representing desire, the right presenting moderation), suggests it is up to humans to control both within them.

-Example of Socrates resisting desire through being able to withstand limited food and stepping over ice (makes him more desirable to Alcibiades). Concludes that desire should only be aimed at what is good.

Views on marriage (points)

-Only sees it as occurring out of a necessity of the state, for the production of children

-Advocates instead for relationships driven by a pursuit of knowledge

Evidence of marriage (a necessary evil)

-Aristophanes states that men would pursue relationships with other men ‘if society didn’t override their natural inclinations’.

-Yet, it is possible Athenians would have disagreed with Plato’s views on marriage (due to Symposium relating to a tiny portion of Athenian citizens, as well as the labelling of children as proper citizens, as well as the livelihood of women, resting on a correct marriage).

Evidence of marriage (advocating instead for a pursuit of knowledge)

-Diotima states that ‘mental pregnancy’ should be viewed as stronger than a union that creates children.

-In Republic, believes that procreation should be the responsibility of the state rather than on marriages, giving more leeway for the pursuit of virtue and knowledge.

Brown (marriage)

‘The abolition of the family would improve the cohesion of society as a whole’

Waterfield (desire)

‘The love that enslaves us’

Goldhill (love)

‘Proper love is about self-control and how to make the boy a proper citizen’.

Fagan (opportunities for love)

Can become ‘a force for cultural and group unity’.

Waterfield (love)

‘We may be attracted to beauty, but our real goal is happiness’

Hall (marriage)

‘Plato’s political philosophy…is relentlessly elitist’