Ancient catalogues of Aristotle’s writings (Diogenes Laertius, Hesychius) mention Symposium in one book, but this does not seem to be a dialogue analogical to that of Plato. Aristotle raised the sympotical and wine-drinking issues differently, as Plutarchus, Macrobius, Philo of Alexandria, Ps. Julian, and first and foremost, Atheaneus relate in their works. In his The Sophists at Dinner, Atheaneus quotes Aristotle’s title Συμπόσιον only once, while the title Περὶ μέθης is cited six times. Some scholars and editors of Aristotle’s fragments combine both titles as belonging to one writing (Laurenti, Zanatta), while others (Gigon, Breitenberger) separate them as their identity is not confirmed by the sources. Irrespective of whether it was a dialogue, just one or two related works, the few extant testimonies and citations from Aristotle provide an interesting source of information concerning the then customs and drinking effects in Greek culture, which, however, should not be directly associated with contemporary drunkenness and alcoholism. Aristotle’s approach to wine-drinking and feasting was in fact investigative, natural, medical, and analogical to the arguments presented in the third book of Problemata, where the matters On the drinking of wine and drunkenness are touched upon.
PL
Ancient catalogues of Aristotle’s writings (Diogenes Laertius, Hesychius) mention Symposium in one book, but this does not seem to be a dialogue analogical to that of Plato. Aristotle raised the sympotical and wine-drinking issues differently, as Plutarchus, Macrobius, Philo of Alexandria, Ps. Julian, and first and foremost, Atheaneus relate in their works. In his The Sophists at Dinner, Atheaneus quotes Aristotle’s title Συμπόσιον only once, while the title Περὶ μέθης is cited six times. Some scholars and editors of Aristotle’s fragments combine both titles as belonging to one writing (Laurenti, Zanatta), while others (Gigon, Breitenberger) separate them as their identity is not confirmed by the sources. Irrespective of whether it was a dialogue, just one or two related works, the few extant testimonies and citations from Aristotle provide an interesting source of information concerning the then customs and drinking effects in Greek culture, which, however, should not be directly associated with contemporary drunkenness and alcoholism. Aristotle’s approach to wine-drinking and feasting was in fact investigative, natural, medical, and analogical to the arguments presented in the third book of Problemata, where the matters On the drinking of wine and drunkenness are touched upon.
The present paper attempts to explain Socrates’ remark in Symposium 212b, where the expression “diapherontos askein” is used to describe Socrates’ attitude towards erotic matters [ta erotika]. The analysis of the dialogue shows that a human being with a reliable power of Eros and knowledge about the proper way of life should strengthen their character virtues through self-restraint and justice. This power is a natural component of every person, and the knowledge about life can be obtained both from the Symposium itself and from the speech of Diotima. Furthermore, in the apology delivered by Alcibiades (as well as in the Apology and Phaedo), Socrates is presented to the reader as the perfect moral ideal that serves as a criterion for leading a proper life. While the two aforementioned elements provide a suf ficient condition for being a philosopher, they do not guarantee access to transcendent reality. If this access is to be attained at all, it is only through hard work on the moral and intellectual aspect of being human.
Argument and literary form, and how they both relate to each other, are crucial aspects of any interpretation of the Platonic dialogues. Plato the author and Plato the philosopher always work hand in hand in that Plato the author tries to serve Plato the philosopher. It is, therefore, an appropriate principle for approaching the study of Plato’s philosophy to take into account the literary aspects of the dialogues and to ask how Plato’s literary art of writing could possibly support his philosophical message and, for instance, to consider what this relation means in the context of the debate about developementalism versus unitarianism in Plato’s philosophy. In the present paper , I argue that the performance of the characters plays an important role in this context. I discuss various passages in the Laws which analyse the weakness of the will and I compare what Plato says there with the performance of Alcibiades in the Symposium. I conclude that the passages in the Laws can be read as a kind of commentary on Alcibiades’ behavior and I consider what this relation means in the context of the debate about developementalism versus unitarianism in Plato’s philosophy.
DE
Argument and literary form, and how they both relate to each other, are crucial aspects of any interpretation of the Platonic dialogues. Plato the author and Plato the philosopher always work hand in hand in that Plato the author tries to serve Plato the philosopher. It is, therefore, an appropriate principle for approaching the study of Plato’s philosophy to take into account the literary aspects of the dialogues and to ask how Plato’s literary art of writing could possibly support his philosophical message and, for instance, to consider what this relation means in the context of the debate about developementalism versus unitarianism in Plato’s philosophy. In the present paper , I argue that the performance of the characters plays an important role in this context. I discuss various passages in the Laws which analyse the weakness of the will and I compare what Plato says there with the performance of Alcibiades in the Symposium. I conclude that the passages in the Laws can be read as a kind of commentary on Alcibiades’ behavior and I consider what this relation means in the context of the debate about developementalism versus unitarianism in Plato’s philosophy
Information about the scientific symposium organized at the Catholic University of Lublin on September 14-16, 1981 due to the 1550 anniversary of the Ephesian Council.
PL
Informacja o sympozjum naukowym zorganizowaneym na KUL w dniach 14-16 września 1981 z racji 1550 rocznicy Soboru Efeskiego.
Sympozjon był przedmiotem dociekań wielu autorów. Plutarch w Zagadnieniach biesiadnych (Plut. Quaest. conv. I, 612d-e) podaje, że najbardziej sławni myśliciele mieli zapisywanie dysput przy stole za godne literackiego wysiłku i trudu. Do grona tych, którzy potrafili czerpać użytek z wątków sympozjalnych zaliczył Platona, Ksenofonta, Arystotelesa, Speuzypposa, Akademika Diona, Prytanisa, Hieronima, a co najważniejsze – Epikura. Kompozycja epikurejskiego Sympozjonu jest całkiem inna od dialogu platońskiego, co nie uszło uwadze już twórcy Uczty mędrców, czyli Atenajosowi. Przypuszczalnie różni się on niemało także od arystotelesowskiego Sympozjonu. Zauważalny brak zamiłowania do wina u hellenistycznego myśliciela przyczynił się nie tylko do propagowania nowej postawy wobec tego trunku, ale i do radykalnej zmiany samego gatunku biesiadnego.
EN
The symposium has been the subject of research by many authors. Plutarch, in Quaestiones Convivales (Plut. Quaest. conv. I, 612d-e), states that the most famous thinkers considered it worthy of literary effort, to write down disputes at the table. He included Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle, Speusippus, Dion, Prytanis, Hieronymus and, most importantly, Epicurus among those who were able to make use of symposium threads. The composition of the Epicurean Symposium is quite different from the Platonic dialogue, which has not escaped the attention of the author of The Deipnosophists , Athenaeus. Presumably, it also differs quite a bit from Aristotle’s Symposium. The noticeable lack of passion for wine at the Hellenistic thinker contributed not only to the promotion of a new attitude towards this drink, but also to a radical change in the convivial genre itself.
Artykuł poświęcony sympozjom ku czci św. Tomasza z Akwinu w Wyższym Seminarium Duchownym w Ełku, które były organizowane w latach 2013-2023 zmierza do wykazania, czy i w jakim stopniu postulaty (w liczbie sześciu), sformułowane przez organizatorów, zostały zrealizowane. W tekście zebrano programy wszystkich dziesięciu sympozjów. Na ich podstawie zestawiono dane dotyczące prezentowanych tematów, prelegentów, środowisk naukowych, terminów, organizatorów. W oparciu o zebrane dane sformułowano wnioski dotyczące każdego z założeń. Okazało się, że wszystkie z nich zostały zrealizowane. Jednakże niektóre w stopniu większym niż pozostałe. W dużym stopniu zrealizowano założenie dotyczące celebrowania dnia św. Tomasza z Akwinu, a także założenie mówiące o nauczycielskim posłannictwie Kościoła oraz realizowaniu postulatów zawartych w dokumentach formacyjnych. W niewielkim stopniu zrealizowano założenie dotyczące ożywienia i integracji środowiska naukowego przy WSD w Ełku, a także założenie jego promowania.
EN
Article devoted to symposiums in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas at the Theological Seminary in Ełk, which were organized in 2013-2023, aims to demonstrate whether and to what extent the postulates (six in number) formulated by the organizers were implemented. The text contains the programs of all ten symposiums. On their basis, data regarding the presented topics, speakers, scientific communities, dates and organizers were compiled. Based on the collected data, conclusions were formulated regarding each of the assumptions. It turned out that all of them were implemented. Some of them to a greater extent than others. The assumption regarding the celebration of Thomas Aquinas Day has been largely implemented, as has the assumption regarding the teaching mission of the Church and the implementation of the postulates contained in the formation documents. The assumption of revitalizing and integrating the scientific community at the WSD in Ełk, as well as the idea of promoting it, was achieved to a small extent.
Plato's Lysis, a comprehensive study of philia, can be treated as a prelude to the issue of eros, discussed directly in the Symposium and the Phaedrus. The ideas first introduced by Plato in the Lysis, are developed and elaborated on in the two dialogues on love. Being the first part of the Platonic story of love, the dialogue is an excellent starting point for considerations of eros, especially its synthetic, intermediary and masculine nature.
This paper is about: a) the model of friendship bonds Plato presents to us through his character, Socrates; b) the kinds of friendship bonds Plato tried to create with his students and wanted his students to create when they returned home; c) the friendship bonds lovers of Plato’s dialogues have created with each other for 2400 years; and d) the bonds that those who want to imitate Socrates should create with all of their fellowcitizens. Such bonds are critical for sustaining non-authoritarian societies. Since 2016, Westerners have become more aware of the need of intellectuals to develop these bonds.