Love is the constant wish of reaching Good. A person is always in a state of striving for something, in which Good is present. Therefore, it is love that provides man with the motivation for his actions. Plato believed that everything in the universe aspires to attain Good. Thus, the entire universe is in a continuous state of love. He continues: It is love, which causes the world to exist; without love, nothing could exist. Every person is, in a certain sense, a type of lover. Few know the object of their love, which motivates their aspirations and forms the foundation of all their wishes.

Since all things in the universe form a single unit, the highest object of love must also be One. The philosopher named this object "absolute Good" or "absolute Beauty". To Love this Beauty and Good is the most exalted love, nearing you to immortality.

The Greeks of that era also bestowed Beauty and Good with the role of Harmony - things shall not collide if they are Good.

Whatever is truly beautiful must also be good, and whatever is truly good must also be beautiful. Whoever recognizes an ugly person's goodness, will also recognize his beauty. A person cannot attain beauty if he is not good. Hence, a person's highest wish would be that Good and Beauty be present within him throughout his entire life, and this is, in effect, what each of us is looking for.

The philosopher notes that the true lover is that person who has torn away his shackles, left Socrates' "cave of shadows" and entered the true world.

Notes: The aspiration for unity mentioned earlier refers to a reunion with something that had been separated in the distant past.

Summary: Platonic love is a form of intellectual love, at a high level, yet lacking feelings of love. This is the doctrine's principal flaw.