Developing a defence of eros : the unity of Plato's Symposium
The consensus, that Plato's Symposium is only loosely unified, with the early speeches of little interest and the speech of Alcibiades an appendix, is to be rejected. Instead, the dialogue fonns a complex, unified reflection on what it is for a human being to progress and on the kind of completion to be found in human life. The call to praise eros unifies the first six speeches: in the context of contemporary attacks, eros stands in need of defence. These speeches demonstrate the availability of defences, individually coherent, but mutually inconsistent, each expressing a view of the human condition. Each speech also reflects on methodology, progressively modifying encomiastic convention. Phaedrus commits to showing eros causes virtue, but a further principle is found necessary by each symposiast: specificity, completeness, understanding power, and praising characteristics directly, respectively. Socrates finds truth also necessary, but lacking in that apparently progressive sequence of defences. He follows the others' principles but in reverse order, turning things literally back to front. Socrates shows how eros leads to acts which yield a reputation for virtue in the eyes of others, and so immortality.
Krinks, Philip
Developing a defence of eros : the unity of Plato's Symposium. The consensus, that Plato's Symposium is only loosely unified, with the early speeches of little interest and the speech of Alcibiades an appendix, is to be rejected. Instead, the dialogue fonns a complex, unified reflection on what it is for a human being to progress and on the kind of completion to be found in human life. The call to praise eros unifies the first six speeches: in the context of contemporary attacks, eros stands in need of defence. These speeches demonstrate the availability of defences, individually coherent, but mutually inconsistent, each expressing a view of the human condition. Each speech also reflects on methodology, progressively modifying encomiastic convention. Phaedrus commits to showing eros causes virtue, but a further principle is found necessary by each symposiast: specificity, completeness, understanding power, and praising characteristics directly, respectively. Socrates finds truth also necessary, but lacking in that apparently progressive sequence of defences. He follows the others' principles but in reverse order, turning things literally back to front. Socrates shows how eros leads to acts which yield a reputation for virtue in the eyes of others, and so immortality.
developing defence eros unity plato consensus plato loosely unify early speech little_interest speech appendix reject instead dialogue fonns complex unified reflection human progress kind completion find human_life call praise eros unifies first speech context_contemporary attack eros stand need defence speech availability defence individually coherent mutually inconsistent express view human condition speech also reflect progressively modify convention commit show eros cause virtue principle find necessary specificity completeness power praise characteristic directly respectively socrates find truth also necessary lack apparently progressive sequence defence follow others principle reverse order turn thing literally back front socrates show eros lead act yield reputation virtue eye others immortality