Is Diotima a girl?
As Halperin puts it, “Diotima is a woman because Socratic philosophy must borrow her femininity in order to […] ensure the success of its own procreative enterprises, the continual reproduction of its universalizing discourse in the male culture of classical Athens” (p. 288). relations, in E.
What does Socrates say about Diotima?
Diotima appears as a character in Plato’s Symposium, where Socrates refers to her as “a woman of Mantinea—a woman who was wise in many things.” And our knowledge of her doesn’t extend far beyond this.
What role does Diotima play in Symposium?
The function of Diotima and the reported dialogue: a communication tool. These preliminary observations may help us to understand the function of the dialogue reported by Socrates, that is, to deliver a lesson in communication be- sides a lecture on eros.
What does Diotima say about love?
Diotima replies once more that not everything must be one thing or its opposite. Love is neither mortal nor immortal, but is a spirit, which falls somewhere between being a god and being human. Spirits, Diotima explains, serve as intermediaries between gods and humans.
Why does Socrates use Diotima?
The character of Socrates may be used by Plato as the character of Diotima is used by Socrates: as a way of showing that his discourse is addressed to an audience and that the expression of his knowledge is relative to the enunciative situation.
How does Diotima describe love?
Love is neither mortal nor immortal, but is a spirit, which falls somewhere between being a god and being human. Spirits, Diotima explains, serve as intermediaries between gods and humans. They convey prayers and sacrifices from humans to gods, and send gifts and commands from gods to humans.
What does Diotima say about beauty?
Diotima suggests that a life gazing upon and pursuing this Beauty is the best life one can lead.
Was Socrates married?
XanthippeMyrto
Socrates/Spouses
He was married twice (which came first is not clear): his marriage to Xanthippe took place when Socrates was in his fifties, and another marriage was with a daughter of Aristides, an Athenian statesman. He had three sons with Xanthippe.
What do Socrates and Diotima say about love?
Diotima points out that, in spite of himself, Socrates has denied that Love is a god altogether. They have concluded that Love is not good and beautiful because he is in need of good and beautiful things. No one would deny that a god is both happy and beautiful, and yet Love seems to be neither of these things.
What does Diotima say that the purpose of love is what does she say the aim of love is?
Diotima’s next move is to ask in what way people pursue love. She cryptically claims that Love’s function is “giving birth in beauty both in body and in mind.” All people, she asserts, are pregnant in body and mind and naturally want to give birth when they reach a certain age.
What does Diotima mean by everyone is in love?
Diotima has Socrates agree that everyone always wants good things and happiness to be theirs forever. In that case, everyone would be a lover, but we only call certain people lovers.
What age did Socrates marry?
He was married twice (which came first is not clear): his marriage to Xanthippe took place when Socrates was in his fifties, and another marriage was with a daughter of Aristides, an Athenian statesman. He had three sons with Xanthippe.
Why does Diotima think that love is the desire to possess the good forever?
Next, Diotima asks Socrates why Love is love of beautiful things or of good things. Socrates replies that Love wants these things to become his own so that he will be happy. Diotima has Socrates agree that everyone always wants good things and happiness to be theirs forever.
Who was Diotima in ancient Greece?
Greek priestess, philosopher, and teacher of Socrates. Although it is questioned whether or not Diotima was a historical person, there are few reasons to doubt it. We know of her through Plato’s Symposium, and there is some archeological evidence of her existence as well.
Who is Diotima in the symposium?
Diotima is the only woman in the dialogue who is shown to have any intellectual value, but her status as a prophetess also suggests that no mortal woman could compare to her wisdom. The The Symposium quotes below are all either spoken by Diotima of Mantinea or refer to Diotima of Mantinea.
Who is Diotima in the dialogue with Agathon?
…dialogue with Agathon to an account of Love he received from a wise woman called Diotima of Mantinea. He says that he had once had a dialogue with Diotima in which… (full context)
What is the role of Diotima in Socrates speech?
Diotima is a fictitious prophetess whom Socrates invents in his speech at the symposium. He portrays her as having initiated him into the higher mysteries of Eros through a dialectical discussion.