Finding the Good Life at a SymposiumThere are many different interpretations of what the good life actually is. Individualists believe that a good life is about pleasing oneself, while utilitarians believe that a good life works for the good of the rest of society. Philosophers also have their own interpretation. Plato alludes to the philosopher's good life when he uses the expression "my greatest pleasure." The subjectivity inherent in the word "my" indicates to the reader that philosophical conversation is not necessarily everyone's greatest pleasure. “After all, my greatest pleasure comes from philosophical conversation, even though I am only a listener, whether I think so or not. will be to my advantage. All the other talk, especially from rich businessmen like you, bores me to tears, and I feel sorry for you and your friends because you think your business is important when in reality it is. totally insignificant" (Symposium 173C-D). The casual observer might believe that these lines, spoken by Apollodorus, are banal and offer little more than a little humor to begin the Symposium. However, an informed reader will read between the lines and will quickly realize that, within the words of the passage, lies a plethora of ideas that are an integral part of the work as a whole. The two main ideas that arise from the previous passage are the philosophical vision of the. good life and the very different lives that philosophers lead There are many different interpretations of what the good life actually is Individualists believe that a good life is about pleasing oneself, while utilitarians believe that. A good life acts for the good of the rest of society. Philosophers also have their own interpretation. Plato alludes to the good life of the philosopher...... middle of paper ...... not only to listen to the ideas of others, but to pass judgment on those ideas after they have been heard. By offering the judgment that the philosopher's good life is the best, Plato urged his readers to attend his academy, one of the aims of his book. The ultimate idea of ​​the passage, and even the book as a whole, is to keep an open mind to hear the opinions of others and to disclose one's own opinions for the good of society. Once these opinions have been heard, reflected upon, and fully realized, individuals have the capacity to make decisions for the benefit of themselves and those around them. When these intellectual and spiritual decisions are made correctly, human beings can begin to live a good life. Works Cited: Plato. Symposium. Trans. Alexandre Nehémas and Paul Woodruff. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1989.