University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Art Auditorium,
Saturday, October 21, 2023

Good morning, and welcome. I am Tamara Albertini, Chair and Professor of Philosophy here at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

Philosophy and theater have a long shared history. In fact, philosophy stands at the origin of many disciplines — from astronomy to biology. The very last field to branch off was psychology — the study of the soul — in the 18th century.

Among the greatest voices of ancient Greek philosophy is Plato, who crafted all his works as intricate dialogues. His writings are stories within stories, layered like a play — and yet, Plato himself never appears. The spotlight is given instead to his teacher, Socrates.

In one of his most famous dialogues, The Symposium (also known as The Banquet), Plato surprises his readers. As Athens’ intellectual elite gathers to celebrate the tragedian Agathon, Socrates makes a startling confession: his teacher on the subject of Love was a woman — Diotima of Mantinea.

While women were excluded from formal banquets in Athens, except as “entertainers,” Plato places Diotima at the very center of the philosophical stage. Through Socrates, her voice challenges the norms of the time — and endures to this day.

Let us now hear what Diotima has to say about Love, and listen carefully for what she describes as the Ladder of Love — a journey from desire to wisdom.

Without further ado, the UH Philosophy Department presents “An Encounter for the Ages” featuring UH PhD candidates in Philosophy: Ella Marsh as Diotima and Ruel Mannette as Socrates.

Enjoy!

Diotima and Socrates. An Encounter for the Ages
Ella Marsh and Ruel Mannette, UH PhD Candidates in Philosophy

A Philosopher’s Self-Debate on the Subject of Death
Dr. Sean Smith, Assistant Professor, UH Department of Philosophy