The quest for absolute beauty in Plato's SYMPOSIUM

Andrew Domanski

Abstract


At a certain point in the speech of Diotima in Plato's Symposium ,there occurs a sudden switch in focus from love (eros), the central theme of the dialogue, to beauty (kallos). At this point, Diotima begins her account of the ascent of the individual from our normal, limited appreciation of the beauty of particular physical forms, towards full realization of absolute beauty, the pinnacle of human attainment. This article sets out to examine Plato's concept of eros (in its most elevated sense) and his description of the nature of absolute beauty, through a close reading of the words of Diotima. In the course of this examination, note is taken of Plato's devastating critique of cultural relativism, whose malign influence is so prevalent today. In conclusion, I point to the vital connection between Plato's notion of eros and the attainment of absolute beauty.


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