Philosophy and the human conditionSocrates and AlcibiadesIn Plato's Symposium, he describes the party to which Agathon invited several famous people of his time to dine. Among the participants are Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes and Socrates. The party begins when the group members eat dinner and then start talking about love. Everyone gives a eulogy of love. After everyone has spoken, including Socrates, Alcibiades enters and gives Socrates' eulogy. The two men agree on the nature of love in some ways and disagree in others. They both have very different views on the subject. Socrates takes a very philosophical approach and Alcibiades takes a more simplistic approach. Socrates begins by questioning Agathon about love, explaining that it is neither good nor beautiful. He recounts his time talking with Diotima, who tells him that love is neither a God nor a mortal; that he occupies the golden mean as a spirit. She then explains to him the function of spirits. “They translate and transmit messages from men to gods and from gods to men. They transmit the prayers of men and the instructions of the god, as well as the offerings of men and the returns of the god on these offerings,” she says (202e). Socrates says that love was born out of abundance and poverty on the day Aphrodite was born, so it always follows beauty. Love is also poor, hard, needy, but intelligent. Next, Socrates explains that we do not seek our other halves unless half or even the whole is not good. Diotima says, “I mean, we're even willing to amputate our arms and legs if we think they're in bad shape. It is only when a person describes what is good about him and what is not bad about him that he is able to be content with what is his ...... middle of a paper......egnant" is loving a man. Women are capable of having meaningful and wise conversations. I agree that we are not looking for our other halves; I think you are attracted to people all your life, even after you find someone you love I think love is an emotion or feeling of fulfillment with just one person In Alcibiades' speech I agree that the person you. love may appear one-sided on the outside, but is totally different and virtuous on the inside. I also agree that we feel shame towards our partners because we act more virtuous when we are with them. also agree that if you love someone, that love is very durable and resilient, and can withstand almost anything. Finally, I agree that when the person you love, at least to you, seems like the best person you've ever met. I don't completely agree with Socrates or Alcibiades, but I tend to agree with Alcibiades.