What is platonic love? The philosophy of true love through Plato

Love is a powerful and indispensable force. Fluctuations, whether emotional or energetic, spread in everything we believe to be empty. In humans, these sensations combine and allow us to experience a riot of emotions. One of them is platonic love, the most sublime admiration for another being described by Plato.

Although the meaning of platonic love has been transformed over time. The reality is that this notion proposed by Plato (Greek philosopher) is, so far, the purest and truest description of love that we could experience.

Olga Belyaeva

What is platonic love?

For several years it has been believed that Plato’s love is an unattainable or impossible love. However, the true meaning of this notion is the love that is felt for the beauty of the spirit, intelligence or essence of a person.

It is not about something physical and much less interested. Platonic love is a mutual admiration between two people, who manage to complement their qualities. In addition to feeling a passion for the benefits of human beings, the ability to be better and to change reality.

At the end of the day, the platonic love described by Plato is the total surrender to the spirit and essence of the other person. It has nothing to do with sexual or physical attraction, but with an indescribable connection between two beings where admiration is the main motivation.

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Behind «The Banquet»

The Symposium is one of Plato’s most important works and also one of the most complex to understand. The work is like a Chinese box structure in which narratives within other narratives take place.

It covers different conversations held between Apolodor, Socrates, Aristodemus, Diotima and Plato himself, although it is not determined exactly if the latter is present at the banquet. During the work, the drunken diners are described who, at the request of Eryximachus, decide to talk about love or more specifically about Eros.

The narration runs through the descriptions of each guest, some deeper and some superficial. Nevertheless, Plato especially seems to lead us to recognize the value of Diotima’s dialogue through Socrates, in which Eros is praised as the love of the soul.

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From this sense it is understood that love is not a physical attraction, but a pure admiration for the soul of another person; be it male or female. A really advanced idea for the notions of that time and necessary for today.

The essence of loving a being for what it is and what it can become, is the most powerful force in the world. This is platonic love; a partner who seduces you to be better, who motivates you to grow and learn so that this translates into a deep admiration for your essence.

Reference:

  • García Gual, M. Martínez Hernández E. Lledó Íñigo (translations, introductions and notes from), Dialogues III. Phaedo, Banquet, Phaedrus. PlatoMadrid, Editorial Gredos, 1997.
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