Plato’s symposium is nothing less than a brilliant masterpiece, presenting us with a damning decision between the two views of love. If we choose the path Socrates has delineated, rising to the Good, we are unable to take the first step on the ladder as long as we reflect on Alcibiadies and Aristophanes. An individual can only fully follow Socrates if they are persuaded of his account to be true, but Alcibiadies and Aristophanes makes us think otherwise. Alcibiadies and Aristopahnes causes the individual to question the pursuit of the Good by making the person think they are sacrificing something; so much so that the pursuit and ascent on the ladder no longer seems to be embracing the whole of the Good. Consequently, either way we choose we
