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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What phrase does Socrates use to refer to the practice of learning?
(a) The hypothesis of the higher hypothesis.
(b) The hypothesis of the remembered hypothesis.
(c) The hypothesis of the forgotten hypothesis.
(d) The hypothesis of the changing hypothesis.

2. According to Socrates, what ideas can a man become "pregnant" with?
(a) How to fight wars.
(b) How to resolve conflict without wars.
(c) How to best run a city and the nation.
(d) How to raise children.

3. How many times has Alcibiades invited Socrates over for dinner?
(a) Twice.
(b) Too many to count.
(c) Once.
(d) Three times.

4. How does Diotima think women are helped to give birth?
(a) By looking at beauty.
(b) By looking at, understanding, and then ignoring beauty.
(c) By ignoring beauty.
(d) By understanding beauty.

5. How does Diotima think a young person should interact with beautiful minds?
(a) Only gain knowledge from them.
(b) Only give ideas to them.
(c) Exchange knowledge and ideas with them.
(d) Neither gain knowledge nor give ideas to them.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to Socrates, what is the lover directed towards?

2. According to Agathon, what effect does love have on bad things?

3. Which one of the following is not included in Diotima's list of things that spirits help with?

4. Who does Socrates refer to as an example of a remembered writer?

5. How does Homer describe love's feet in the passage quoted by Agathon?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Agathon describe love?

2. What are the statues of Silenus and why does Alcibiades include them in his speech?

3. What is the definition that Socrates gives of love?

4. How does Agathon disagree with Phaedrus in the beginning of his speech and why?

5. Why does Socrates believe that love cannot be beautiful or ugly, and what analogy does he use?

6. Why does Socrates think that love is a spirit?

7. What events does Alcibiades describe in his speech, and how do they show that Socrates cannot be bribed?

8. According to Socrates, what is the origin of love?

9. In Socrates' opinion, what does a person's achievements have to do with love, and which example does he use?

10. How does Diotima help Socrates understand how a person can become a philosopher through love?

(see the answer keys)

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