Lysis

Lysis is Plato's dialog on the essence of Friendship. The main characters of the dialogue are the prominent Greek Philosopher Socrates and two young boys. Socrates asks a range of cunningly simple questions, which have a deep background and are aimed to lead the reader and Socrates' interlocutors to a better understanding of what friendship is.

Plato (c. 428/427 – c. 348/347 BCE) was an Athenian philosopher during the Classical period in Ancient Greece, founder of the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. As a student of Socrates and later a teacher of Aristotle, Plato's philosophic contributions lay the foundation for Western metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. His dialogues have been used to teach a range of subjects, including philosophy, logic, rhetoric, and mathematics. 'Lysis' is one such dialogue, exploring the nature of friendship and affection. Plato's literary style is characterized by the dialectic form, engaging readers in intricate philosophical debates through carefully crafted characters and narratives. His work often addressed the juxtaposition between the ideal and the real, culminating in his theory of Forms – abstract, perfect, unchangeable concepts or ideals that transcended time and space. Plato's dialogues not only serve as crucial philosophical texts but also as literary masterpieces, presenting complex ideas through Socratic dialogues that remain influential. Alongside 'Lysis,' his other renowned works include 'The Republic,' 'Phaedo,' 'Timaeus,' and 'Symposium,' each contributing to his reputation as a cornerstone of philosophical thought and literary expression in the Western tradition.