Throughout their conversation Diotima and Socrates discuss the concept of love, immortality and reaching true virtue by seeing the “Beauty” itself. Diotima starts off by explaining the argument that “Love must desire immortality.” Humans, just like animals have the desire to live forever or leave a mark in the world. This becomes possible with reproduction since the older self is replaced and renewed with the younger/fresher version. This renewal process is not only a physical but mental. Diotima associates the renewing process with studying as the new physical, mental changes arrive, some others leave just like the way our brains handle new knowledge while learning. Immortality then is also linked to honour on the path of a human’s virtue. In order to explain this Diotima uses mythological examples like Alcestis and Achilles who died for their lovers, children and glory claiming that they’ve done this for the desire of becoming immortal.
According to Diotima making immortality possible can be achieved either with being pregnant meaning having the capacity in body or soul. Men who are pregnant in body seek love by being with women and having babies with them. On the other hand men who are pregnant in soul have the tendency to seek wisdom and greater virtue. Examples to these virtuous people who are after the true beauty and love are most likely poets and creatives like Homer and Hesiod. She also claims that Socrates might be one of these people but then adds that she’s not sure. However if someone is seriously after the virtue or the true Beauty then starting from youth he must teach/cultivate himself with beauty then to realise that the beauty of souls is more valuable as he goes up the stairs which are many different beautiful bodies and customs. By only realising this untouched pure Beauty he may make a true virtuous self and become immortal.
While Plato discusses the virtuous/immortal man through the concepts of love, immortality and reproduction, Gadamer uses the modernisation era/the problem of being human to explain a Man with culture or a cultivated Man; Bildung.
The first thing that Gadamer underlines in his article is the question of “being human”. The process of civilisation, industrialisation and cheap production based economy is the reality of the modern world. It’s inevitable. The understanding of human existence meaning “Being Human” is then defined with requiring a culture or a must of cultivating him/herself since humans are distinguished from the rest of the animal kingdom by this criteria.
Humans think, doubt and make choices. Therefore we surely cannot be solely defined by self-preservation, demoniacal impulses of our animal instincts. At this point the question of “How to find the balance?” arises. In order to understand this Gadamer points Aristotle’s hand aphorism saying that “Hand is the tool of all tools.” along with the importance of language. Through learning more about our language and our culture we progress on the path to cultivating ourselves.
Cultivating for Gadamer should not be mixed with making. Hence Bildung is not becoming a master by working on a talent or an ability. Being a practitioner learnt from the education system is not related with Bildung since it’s all about our capacity to make a judgement. It goes beyond the current educational system’s memorised thoughts simple mindedness. It’s about seeing the world from another perspective and being judgemental about oneself.
Both Plato and Gadamer used different concepts to explain how one can become virtuous and cultivated in life considering their eras. Both readings were actually hard to understand yet a fulfilling challenge. Although understanding most of the concepts and arguments through the readings, I still have not figured out the hand concept of Aristoteles very clearly. Hand and language being the organs of communication do make sense but how do they go beyond there?