[In-person] Plato’s Lysis: Friendship, Love, and the Search for Wisdom

People often come to meetups like TPM to connect with people who are likeminded or share a common interest. Some people remain acquaintances, while others might progress to friendship.

But what is friendship, exactly? And what is it to find, form, and sustain friendship in adulthood? Why are we drawn to some people and not others? Can we explain what it is to love someone without simply describing how it feels?

In this in-person meetup, we will read and explore Plato's Lysis, one of his most engaging and elusive dialogues. Plato invites us into a conversation that examines competing accounts of friendship, affection, and human need, only to expose their strengths and limitations. The dialogue raises questions that remain relevant today: Do we love people because they are good? Because they are useful? Because they complete something lacking in ourselves?

Please do the reading before the meetup. You can access the dialogue here (the Lysis is on pages 687-707 of the pdf):
https://app.box.com/s/4v3r6gh4ys9gdrqc705ane2hxriqfqre

TIP: When reading Plato, pay attention to the details of the drama as much as the overtly philosophical discourse. Attentive readers of Plato know that he is often trying to convey important messages with both in concert.

For background on Plato, see his entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato/