The Symposium

Plato's The Symposium is the origin of the concept of Platonic love and it deals with the genesis, purpose, and nature of love. Plato was a philosopher in Classical Greece and the founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. He is widely considered the most pivotal figure in the development of philosophy, especially the Western tradition. Unlike nearly all of Plato's philosophical contemporaries, Plato's entire body of work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years. The works which are most often assigned to Plato's early years are all considered to be Socratic dialogues, written from 399 to 387. Plato's Middle dialogues were writtten from 387 to 361 and Plato's latter dialogues were written in the period between 361 and his death in 347. Plato's works is often textbook required reading for courses in politics & social sciences, philosophy, humanities, and Greek & Roman studies. The Symposium is one of Plato's most popular and studied works.