plato ladder of love (diotima)

Question 1

How did Plato view love?

Answer 1

A progression

Question 2

What did the first step of the ladder involve?

Answer 2

Contemplation of physical beauty

Question 3

What will a rational person do after appreciating the physical beauty of one person?

Answer 3

Appreciating beauty in others

Question 4

What happens after admiring beauty of everyone?

Answer 4

Seeing beauty that lies beyond appearance; wisdom + knowledge

Question 5

What is the last step of the ladder?

Answer 5

Recognising the Form of Beauty; moral qualities of goodness

Question 6

What is Diotima saying about the body then?

Answer 6

It’s not that the body is bad, there’s just more to the body as you climb up the ladder

Question 7

What do we realise as we go up the ladder?

Answer 7

The body doesn’t matter as much

Question 8

What do you have to be to turn to the soul?

Answer 8

You have to be cultivated enough to turn away the body

Question 9

What do you have to DO to turn to the soul?

Answer 9

Find beautiful souls + encounter them

Question 10

What is the Form of Beauty?