PhD - The Memory of Virtue: Immortality and Kleos in Plato’s Symposium (original) (raw)
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The Memory of Virtue: Achieving Immortality in Plato’s Symposium
The specter of human immortality is manifest in many of Plato's writings, appearing as early as the Apology (28c, 41c-d) and the Crito (54b-d), and as late as Book XII of the Laws (12.967d). But nowhere is immortality given so much attention, nor as central a place in Plato's philosophical projects, than in his Middle Period works, 2 so eros; 3 moreover, the nature of the immortality that Socrates recommends here, and the means by which he suggests it is achieved, are wholly unique to this work. Where in other dialogues Plato casts his discussions in terms of the persistence of the soul in some super-sensible realm, here he offers a picture of lovers achieving immortality by creating memorials (mnh= mai) that will outlast them. 4 Several attempts have been made to account for the peculiarity of Socrates' account of immortality in the Symposium, 5 but I will not undertake such a project in this paper. Instead, following recent treatments on immortality in the Symposium by Gabriel Lear 6 and Frisbee Sheffield 7 , my focus here will be on examining Socrates' presentation of immortality in this dialogue on its own terms -it being an account that, I believe, is of equal philosophical depth as those found in other of Plato's Luce,
Obdrzalek, The philosopher’s Reward: Contemplation and Immortality in Plato’s Dialogues
Immortality in Ancient Philosophy, 2021
In dialogues ranging from the Symposium to the Timaeus, Plato appears to propose that the philosopher’s grasp of the forms may confer immortality upon him. Whatever can Plato mean in making such a claim? What does he take immortality to consist in, such that it could constitute a reward for philosophical enlightenment? And how is this proposal compatible with Plato’s insistence throughout his corpus that all soul, not just philosophical soul, is immortal? In this chapter, I pursue these questions by applying the distinction between general and earned immortality to the Phaedo and the Symposium. I argue that, while Plato attributes general immortality to all soul in the Phaedo, in the Affinity Argument, he proposes that the philosopher’s soul can achieve earned immortality through contemplating forms. It is this form of immortality that Plato claims is unavailable to humankind in the flux passage of the Symposium. At the same time, in the ascent passage, he holds out the possibility – albeit with significant reservations – that the philosopher’s soul may transcend its humanity and achieve earned immortality through its communion with the form.
Plato on Immortality of Soul and its contemporary relevance
This thesis focuses on Plato's arguments for immortality of the soul. The main objective of this thesis is to scrutinize the arguments put forth by Plato and understand them with the help of some contemporary philosophers and scientific theories. By the end of this thesis one will have a greater understanding of the concept of the human soul and potentially develop his or her own perspective in greater detail - bridging the gap between philosophy and science.
A Course on the Afterlife of Plato's \Symposium\
2004
Symposium is one of the acknowledged classics of ancient Greek literature and philosophy. The dialogue's main topic (the nature of erôs-'love' or 'passionate desire'), its obvious literary qualities, and
Review of A. G. Long Death and Immortality in Ancient Philosophy
Mind, 2022
A. G. Long's slim monograph, part of the Key Themes in Ancient Philosophy series, deftly accomplishes the series' goal of being accessible to those without prior knowledge of ancient philosophy while being of genuine interest to scholars. It discusses some of the most famous and important ideas about immortality and death in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy without providing a bland survey. Instead, it attempts to reorient the discussions of both topics while arguing for a variety of novel interpretations. It substantially engages with Homer, Empedocles, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, the early Stoics, Philodemus, Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. Remarkably, it manages to introduce readers to each of these authors and to stay sensitive to the goals of their works. To the extent that there is a main thesis to the book, it is that immortality for the ancient Greeks is closely connected to the gods, not merely to existing forever. This leads Long to have his three chapters on immortality before his four chapters on death, despite the fact that to be immortal, in Greek, is literally to be deathless (athanatos) or non-mortal (ambrotos), and so one might expect to understand immortality alongside death. As described below, I found this chapter arrangement to have significant drawbacks. Long divides his discussion of immortality into three chapters. The first is on pre-Platonic uses of the term 'immortal' , the second on immortality in Plato, and the third on uses of the term 'immortal' in Aristotle, Epicurus, and the early Stoics. For most people, I expect the chapter addressing pre-Platonic uses of the term 'immortal' will be the book's most eye-opening. Many things described as 'immortal' before Plato do not last forever. For example, Long notes that in the Odyssey (18.190-6), Athena gives Penelope 'immortal gifts' , which make Penelope look more godlike, but are used up, rather than lasting forever. Conversely, according to Homer the souls of the dead exist in Hades without end but are never called 'immortal'. Long concludes that calling something 'immortal' primarily indicates a connection to the gods, although of course when applied to the gods, it indicates that they will not die. Long also discusses how, according to traditional Greek religion, some mortals can join the gods, thereby becoming immortal-a process called 'apotheosis'. This is important for Long's discussion of Empedocles' remarkable claim that he (Empedocles) Book Review
Exploring the motifs of death and immortality
Journal of Language, Technology & Entrepreneurship in Africa, 2009
felt threatened by the eventuality of death, inculcating in them a fear so great that all possible strategies are engaged in the search for an avenue that would prepare them for this eventuality. A careful exploration of human activities surrounding the issues of death and immortality reveals an obsession with the expression of the possibility of defeating death through the artistic act. Art functions as the arena where human beings can mock, jeer, and repudiate mortality. Indeed, death is a central conundrum in philosophical, literary and even religious arguments that focus on human identity and reality. The usefulness of literature in exposing human fears, aspirations and desires is emphasized as literature functions as the meeting point where all manner of philosophies are presented and debated. In examining how the motifs of death and immortality are represented in the artistic act, it is imperative that this article draws from a wide range of genres. Apparently, both oral and w...
Problemos, 2021
This paper is about death and about immortality. It explores the experience and philosophical implications of death from different perspectives. Firstly, in the light of Mamardashvili's philosophy, it deals with the interconnection and interdependence of death and thinking. Secondly, through Jankélévitch's philosophy, it changes the perspective on the interdependence of death and thinking from the general to the personal perspective, when death becomes an intimate part of life. Further, thanks to Aries' research, the paper introduces historical details about what people brooded over death and how they expressed their thoughts in more explicit way. This makes it possible to look at the mediology of death as a philosophy that leads to reflection and critique of our contemporary attitude to death. On the one hand, the mediology of death motivates us to think about death-in this way it follows the philosophical tradition, on the other hand, it attempts to convince us for the first time of the immortality that can happen only in material form-and it is its novelty. Šis darbas yra apie mirtį ir apie nemirtingumą. Jame skirtingais požiūriais nagrinėjamas mirties potyris ir jos filosofinės prasmės. Pirma, remiantis Mamardašvilio filosofija, darbe nagrinėjamas mirties ir mąstymo tarpusavio ryšys ir tarpusavio priklausomybė. Antra, perimant Jankélévitchiaus filosofijos perspektyvą, keičiamas požiūris į mirties ir mąstymo tarpusavio priklausomybę ir pereinama nuo visuotinio prie asmeninio požiūrio, kuomet mirtis tampa intymia gyvenimo dalimi. Trečioje straipsnio dalyje, remiantis Arieso tyrimu, pateikiamos istorinės detalės apie tai, ką žmonės galvoja apie mirtį ir kaip jie išreiškė mintis apie ją vis atviriau. Tokia interpretacijos linkmė leido pažvelgti į mirties mediologiją kaip į filosofiją, kuri skatina šiuolaikinio požiūrio į mirtį apmąstymus ir kritiką. Viena vertus, mirties mediologija mus motyvuoja mąstyti apie mirtį – taip ji remiasi filosofine tradicija, kita vertus, mirties mediologija stengiasi mus pirmą kartą įtikinti, kad egzistuoja nemirtingumas, kuris gali būti tik materialios formos, ir taip atsiskleidžia šios filosofijos naujumas.