Platonic Love and Incarnation?

Question

I just heard a wonderful lecture about Plato's "Symposium" which concludes with the idea that religion's "incarnation" was inspired by the idea of Socrate's statement about the nature of beauty (top wrung on the ladder, so to speak). Is this a viable conclusion?

Answer 1

Why not? I personally believe that our lives have sprung from a deeply rooted survive or perish gene that nature has adaptively continually picks up to live again and "resurrect", ergo this gene reincarnates to teach/ act/  replenish the earth all over again.

Socrates merely put that wisdom into words. Don't we all instinctively know this?

Why platonic love? Platonic love is considerate and kind, it is not destructive and vengeful. It seeks out the best in someone and beyond parental love is the next emotion that guarrantees unconditional caring.

Why call it "Platonic" after Plato if it wasnt a wise philosophical love, praytell?

Answer 2

Hey, I love plato's symposium it is one of my favorite books :), Yes i think that is a viable conclusion, Plato said that Love was a desire for something that is Good, Beautiful and Eternal, When religious people say that "God is love" it seems to me to fit what Plato said so well, God is supremely Good, Supremely beautiful and eternal so god is love. I think in a way most peoples search for spiritual and philosophical fulfillment is the search for love and godliness. I hope this helps you and gives you somehting to think about :)