Commentators of Plato's Symposium rarely recognize the importance of traditional Greek conceptions of Eros, paideia and arete in understanding Plato's critique of the various educational models presented in the dialogue. I will show how Plato contests these models by proposing that education should consist of philosophy. On this interpretation, ancient Greek pedagogy culminates in a philosophical education. For this new form of education, the dialogical model supplants the traditional practices of kleos and poetic mimsis, inextricably bound to archaia paideia and traditional forms of education. Plato's Socrates is searching for knowledge and immortality through an application of the philosophical method, one that relies on a conception of Eros and propagation. For Plato's Socrates, it is through Eros that ancient Greek paideia educates in matters of arete, but eros is not a passion for kleos or for a beautiful young man.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USF/oai:scholarcommons.usf.edu:etd-3805 |
| Date | 01 June 2005 |
| Creators | Campbell, Jason St. John Oliver |
| Publisher | Scholar Commons |
| Source Sets | University of South Flordia |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Graduate Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | default |
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