Erotic love can be categorized as “two kinds of value [and] two kinds of knowledge” () from Plato’s Symposium; it’s content raises the decision between an abstract way of pursuing erotic love and the traditional pursuit of a soulmate. Aristophanes and Alcibiades share a common pursuit of wholeness through the physical form. Aristophanes uses a tale of traditional Greek mythology which teaches humans were once whole, but as punishment humans were separated into two beings and given the life purpose of finding the other half. Furthermore, Alcibiades contributes to Aristophanes description of love by telling his own life story of being unable to find his other half and describing himself as enslaved to love. Aristophanes and Alcibiades both share
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It is an impossibility to assume one can simply reserve themselves from physical form. Alcibiades is not ignorant and is able to recognizes *possible quote* Socrates strangeness. Socrates’ concept of being able to pursue uniform beauty, to abstain to physical love, and to make knowledge the purpose of life is recipe for tragedy for people not like Socrates—to have the ability *quote* is rare. The ladder of love is simply not for the average person and is not worth the energy of those whom do not share his characteristics. Alcibiades is a slave to love because he pursues unrequited love for a person who is simply of different form. The pursuit of the ladder is deemed a unique pursuit—only possible for people with god-like characteristics. It is impossible for Alcibiades to fathom climbing the ladder because it exists in an entirely different universe and requires ideal conditions. Alcibiades and Aristophanes share a view that is relatable, that can be understood. It is not one account being superior over the other, it is one account being on a level of human understanding and the other …show more content…
In both accounts it describes erotic love as possessed with an uncontrollable force. This notion of erotic love being uncontrollable leads me to my conclusion of pursuing the love for one body being the most satisfying to happiness. Life itself presents itself unique for everyone, people have their own experiences, values and morality from a unique upbringing, and a difference of intelligence. To assume there is uniform beauty, that humans can all satisfy the desires of erotic love by pursuing the form of beauty is ridiculous. Alcibiades cannot relate to Socrates because they are different. It is not in peoples control if they have the characteristics to follow the view of Socrates; but it is within human nature to find satisfaction in the shared view of Aristophanes and Alcibiades. There view does not require a constant, it does not ask for the ideal conditions that are rare; it merely asks for compromise of partners and to seek out experience. The view does possess the risk of confusion, hurt and hardship—these risks possess value. If one decides to learn from the turmoil of love, they can become wiser and be strengthened as a person. Alcibiades at the end of his speech *quote on learning. There is value in the process of experience, his ability to recognize where he went wrong and his new outlook represents the growth from his suffering. The
It is an impossibility to assume one can simply reserve themselves from physical form. Alcibiades is not ignorant and is able to recognizes *possible quote* Socrates strangeness. Socrates’ concept of being able to pursue uniform beauty, to abstain to physical love, and to make knowledge the purpose of life is recipe for tragedy for people not like Socrates—to have the ability *quote* is rare. The ladder of love is simply not for the average person and is not worth the energy of those whom do not share his characteristics. Alcibiades is a slave to love because he pursues unrequited love for a person who is simply of different form. The pursuit of the ladder is deemed a unique pursuit—only possible for people with god-like characteristics. It is impossible for Alcibiades to fathom climbing the ladder because it exists in an entirely different universe and requires ideal conditions. Alcibiades and Aristophanes share a view that is relatable, that can be understood. It is not one account being superior over the other, it is one account being on a level of human understanding and the other …show more content…
In both accounts it describes erotic love as possessed with an uncontrollable force. This notion of erotic love being uncontrollable leads me to my conclusion of pursuing the love for one body being the most satisfying to happiness. Life itself presents itself unique for everyone, people have their own experiences, values and morality from a unique upbringing, and a difference of intelligence. To assume there is uniform beauty, that humans can all satisfy the desires of erotic love by pursuing the form of beauty is ridiculous. Alcibiades cannot relate to Socrates because they are different. It is not in peoples control if they have the characteristics to follow the view of Socrates; but it is within human nature to find satisfaction in the shared view of Aristophanes and Alcibiades. There view does not require a constant, it does not ask for the ideal conditions that are rare; it merely asks for compromise of partners and to seek out experience. The view does possess the risk of confusion, hurt and hardship—these risks possess value. If one decides to learn from the turmoil of love, they can become wiser and be strengthened as a person. Alcibiades at the end of his speech *quote on learning. There is value in the process of experience, his ability to recognize where he went wrong and his new outlook represents the growth from his suffering. The