Modern Philosopher Channels Socrates to Understand Love

Tom Fudge: Today is Valentine's Day. You may have already heard that. It's a day when we celebrate the feeling of love. But if we were ancient Greeks, we wouldn't put it that way. I guess we'd say we're celebrating Eros. Eros is the word that refers to romantic, sexual love. But don't forget there's also Philia, friendship love, agape, self-sacrificial love and, Xenia, love of strangers.

Socrates is one Greek philosopher who had a lot to say about the subject of love. One of his most ardent followers today is Christopher Phillips. Phillips is author of Socrates Cafe , and now a new tome called Socrates in Love: Philosophy of a Die-hard Romantic .

Guest

• Christopher Phillips , author of three books on Socrates, including his latest Socrates in Love . He is also the founder of the non-profit Society for Philosophical Inquiry .