Die Rede und das Lachen der Diotima

Diotima’s speech is not only one of Plato’s teachings, it also comprises the teachings and the decisive event that Socrates experienced as his great initiation at around thirty years of age. These teachings remained his secret until the time of the symposium. He experimented with their philosophical implications for twenty-five years before giving this speech in the symposium. The main difference between Diotima’s understanding and all other speakers at the symposium is that Diotima regards Eros as a daemon and not as a god. However, she presents the Eros-daemon as a paradigm for the philosophers. What is a philosopher? How do mortals teach themselves to be philosophers? Diotima develops the essence of Eros from the love of physical beauty to participation in beauty itself. The self-education of a philosopher is illustrated in the sophisticated example of the love of beauty. The teachings of the love of beauty to the highest degree can be learned like Socrates, who learned from Diotima; but the contemplation of beauty itself can only be experienced personally – like Socrates. This last step relies neither on the teacher’s expertise, nor solely on the aspirant’s initiative – it simply occurs suddenly. Through the contemplation of the beautiful, the thinker attains a metamorphosis when he/she beholds beauty itself. The aspirant, who has perceived beauty itself, simultaneously becomes a philosopher. The difference between philosophers and all other types of aspirants and lovers is that the philosophers not only love the many beautiful people and things, they also perceive beauty itself. What is distinctive about Diotima’s speech is that it clarifies the limits of her teachings as well as those of all theories with respect to philosophy. She discloses the sphere of self-education for the philosopher, who at the last stage is no longer taught, but can only experience for himself.

Full Text