Aristotle and Plato are considered the bedrock of philosophy in the Western tradition. Whitehead said all of Western philosophy is a footnote to Plato.
In this first of our Plato discussions, we crash a drinking party where a bunch of celebrants (recognize any from our readings?) are waxing eloquent on love, of all things. (The Romantics among us are already gearing up for Valentine’s Day.) The diversion is a round-robin series of soliloquies in praise of the god of love. And all play along, except for Socrates who reverts to his old conversational ways (ever the interrogator) and only relays his “own” thoughts (if they can understood as his) by way of Diotima, a priestess. (Who is she, and why can’t he just play by the rules?)
So you have a bunch of speeches followed by a discussion. For us the reverse: a great discussion on the work followed by a series of speeches on love.
Your job is to follow their argument, comment on their insight in the discussion, and deliver your own thoughts on what love really is (or at least what it isn’t). In so doing we not only come to a greater understanding of one a truly foundational ingredient of humanity, but we may be living a more examined life—even one worth living.