Open AccessEROTICS AS A BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY: THE LEGACY OF DIOTIMA OF MANTINEA
Author(s) -
Georgina Rabassó
Publication year - 2023
Publication title -
ethics, politics and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2184-2582
DOI - 10.21814/eps.4.1.191
Subject(s) - friendship , human sexuality , philosophy , identity (music) , western philosophy , history of philosophy , literature , sociology , epistemology , gender studies , art , social science , aesthetics
The figure and discourse of Diotima of Mantinea in Plato’s Symposium had a decisive influence on the Western tradition of women’s thought and on the foundation of a “hidden” branch of philosophy: Erotics, that is, the philosophical consideration of love, sexuality, gender identity, interpersonal relationships and particularly relationships of philia such as friendship. Although Erotics was not established as one of the canonical subdivisions of philosophy, numerous texts and theories prove its existence from antiquity to the present day. Diotima and other female philosophers make it clear that the Western tradition of women’s thought maintained a constant interest in the issues of Erotics. Making Erotics visible as a branch of philosophy situates the contributions of women thinkers in the philosophical canon, thereby transforming it.