Welcome back philosophers! This week we’ll be unpicking some key ideas in the famed classic Symposium by Plato -a philosophical discourse on love. It can be stated that many of us when considering the subject of love are in fact feeling around in the unknown. Our definitions of love are frequently attributed to the fickle and fleeting aspects of love further dissipating any hope of understanding. How can one know, experience or exhibit love if we aren’t understanding but rather borrowing from the finite comprehension of beings such as ourselves. Regardless we try.
What is Symposium ?
Symposium thoughtfully presents love in its numerous facets through the subjectivity of the beholder. Interestingly the term platonic love which is defined as love between soul and soul without sensual desire is named after Plato although he never actually explored this in Symposium. This classic is set in winter 416 BC, a symposium hosted by Agathon (a dramatist) where the esteemed guests of the symposium take turns giving speeches praising the god, Love. The book has recurrent elements of homoeroticism in the different speeches as was considered perfectly natural at that time. Although Socrates is portrayed in Symposium as having a rather dissenting view of this, he’s also teased for his fondness of young men in his circle.
Eros
Love, we may think as numerous in it’s instances – must stem from an immutable infinite form. The pursuit of knowledge and truth is paramount to a philosopher, especially those of the Forms (infinite forms in which things in the world of senses are mere reflections). Those more inclined to philosophical discourse are thought to respond to the stirring in their souls, drawing their minds away from the mundane and upwards towards the intelligible. This yielding to the stirring is eros, not to be confused with sexual love. Although, eros is a type of love which in this instance belies the premise of a love of objective truth. This is the love Plato explores in Symposium.
If we were to hold up a mirror to your personal understanding of love, we would perhaps find it to be stained by life experiences, emotional predispositions, cultural influences and religion. Ahh before we enter into a segment of philosophical discourse, let us first appraise our definitions of love and reason together to attempt ( with our limited sensory faculty and stirring souls) what Love in its immutable form is.
#comeletusreasontogether
The Form of Love
Wisdom is known of its children, therefore the same premise can be extended to love. Therefore a form or concept can be known by its fruits. What’s all this talk about fruit aye ? Love in itself is very difficult if not impossible to know or quantify but we can attempt to know it through the observing of its instances and manifestations.
*(However humans do try to quantify love, albeit futile and superficial)
We can presume Love is an immutable and eternal form, by virtue of its unchanging attributes and its residence in the intelligible realm. As fallible beings subject to decay with a limited sensory faculty, we are unable to quantify it or perhaps even observe it. But we can indeed observe its fruits or otherwise instances in the world of senses.
“And wisdom is justified of all her children” Luke 7:35
For example a lazy man is known by his actions and lack of fruit whilst a diligent man is known by his abundance.
“Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare” Proverbs 20:13
Bruh this one..
Love as Creation
The Socrates-Diotima speech explores the premise that humans want to be immortal and are also inherently creative. Creativity is not confined to artists, musicians and writers but pertains to the capacity humans have for innovation and improvement in every facet of life. Creativity and wanting immortality can be observed in the instinctive need to procreate and raise offpspring. Humans are able to partly achieve relative immortality through procreation by perpetuating oneself through one’s children.
Love can be observed in the instance of creation, where the creator laments over the creation preceding, upon and after its realisation. An artist can sympathise with this regarding an art piece or painting which is a labour of love. This goes back to our understanding of love as work, an extension of self and exertion of effort for the growth and advancement of a person or object. Love wants for the longstanding wellness of the subject. Is love a prerequisite for creation or a resultant force after the establishment of such thing.
Can love spontaneously arise from something previously devoid of it ?
Made to Love
Love can be considered as a kind of desire, which is for the love of something. That which it desires is something which it lacks. Interestingly Plato links love so closely with desire that he proposes that God cannot love as God is perfect and without need of anything. To which we can propose that God does not love but IS love.
This is an illustration of the possible logic of Plato’s statement. Although the crux of Plato’s argument rests on love as a desire rather than an innate force present in us all perhaps to varying degrees.
- God is perfect
- Perfection is without need of anything
- Love desires that which it lacks
- God is without need of anything
- God does not love
Aristophanes in Symposium gives a beautiful speech on romantic love which would appeal to all my romantics. Particularly paying mind to the idea of soulmates where two people come together who were made for each other. This speech inadvertently perpertuates Plato’s stance that love desires that which it lacks. The search for one’s other half suggests a sense of incompletion.
When an individual searches for love in another, is this an indication they themselves are devoid of love ?
The idea that humans are made to love and made for love underpins the need and importance of relationships- platonic, romantic, familial or otherwise. We give in order to recieve but we cannot give what we do not have. Through this unequivalent exchange ( no alchemy here) parasitic, narcissistic and abusive relationships are borne.
This is where the importance of self love comes in, seeking out love in another whilst being subject to self loathing and not accepting onself is a recipe for disaster, a concoction for calamity – a hot mess.
The Myth of the One
Romantic love of today is largely influenced by contemporary literature, film and the Romanticism movement. The idea of a perfect match is largely appealing and even a forms of consolation that our lives can be shared with another. When pondering on what makes life meaningful we can easily point to our relationships with others. Romantic love promotes a tendency to over invest in another individual and place them on a pedestal often becoming blind to their idiosyncracies. Eventually the romanticism wears off and we’re left disappointed by the subjects’ humanity. M. Scott Peck also talks about this regarding ego boundaries which we drop when we’re in love and during sexual intercourse which allows us to get a foretaste before we make a commitment.
The thing with love and the dropping of ego boundaries in the beginning is the excitement at the prospect of someone new and quite possibly the one. Romance necessitates the following of the heart and often diverts our attention from the fact that we tend to wear masks in the beginning and portray incomplete images of who we are.
(Ask questions people!!!) **This isn’t limited to romantic interests but in every aspect of life.
Again it can be noted that love requires of us and as beings with the ability to learn and yield to the stirring of our souls, we are called to growth. Therefore it is key to note that love is an ever present responsibility and a journey rather than a destination so can be considered the road less travelled. Therefore we are to be mindful when we choose to extend ourselves for others as love is a choice and we should endeavour to not ignite flames we will no sooner snuff out.
“ Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” Songs of Solomon 8:4
** This warning is so srs its repeated 3 times in this book
*** Oh and to all my poetry mavericks, if you haven’t read Songs of Solomon …….. wyd
– socratemi
‘Ave a gander
Songs of Solomon King Solomon
Symposium Plato
For your listening pleasure:
Cuffed Nick Hakim
True Friends Boadi ft Shaé
Plastic Moses Sumney
Made to Love John Legend
Kiss Me Sauti Sol
Stay Close Barney Artist
Love Inside BJ the Chicago Kid
Dayglo Reflection Bobby Womack ft. Lana del Rey
Stay the Same Bonobo ft Andreya Triana
Lose it Tiffany Gouché
Adorn Miguel
Album Spotlight: Green Twins Nick Hakim
thefulbe 