Plato studied under Socrates and was Aristotle's teacher. Together these three Greeks developed the basis of philosophical thinking for the entire Western world. Plato was also a writer, mathematician, and founder of the Academy in Athens, which was the first university in Europe. This Platonic dialog explores the philosophy of love and physical desire. Various views on the subject are offered, while Socrates opines that love goes beyond sensuality and can guide one to a realization of absolute beauty in the world of the ideal.
