Plato (Πλάτων)

Plato (Πλάτων) was a Greek philosopher in Classical Athens in the 4th century BC. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato laid the foundations of Western philosophy and science. He is widely considered the most influential philosopher of the ancient world.

Who was he?

Plato was born in Athens in 428 or 427 BC. He was the son of Ariston, a wealthy aristocrat, and Perictione, a descendant of the god Poseidon. Plato was educated in Athens, where he studied philosophy under Socrates.

What were his principles?

Plato's principles were based on the idea of Forms, which are the perfect, eternal, and unchanging ideas that exist behind the world of appearances. He believed that the Forms are the only true reality, and that the world of appearances is a mere shadow of the Forms.

Plato also believed in the importance of reason and knowledge. He argued that the goal of philosophy is to understand the Forms through reason and knowledge.

What was he famous for?

Plato is famous for his dialogues, which are written conversations between Socrates and his students. The dialogues cover a wide range of topics, including ethics, politics, and metaphysics.

Plato's most famous dialogues include the Republic, the Phaedo, and the Symposium. The Republic is a discussion of the ideal state, the Phaedo is a discussion of the immortality of the soul, and the Symposium is a discussion of love.

Notable Works

• The Republic
• The Phaedo
• The Symposium
• The Apology
• Crito
• Meno
• Protagoras
• Timaeus
• Critias
• Laws

Philosophy

Plato's philosophy is complex and has been interpreted in many different ways. However, some of the key ideas in his philosophy include:

• The theory of Forms
• The immortality of the soul
• The importance of reason and knowledge
• The ideal state

Death and Legacy

Plato died in Athens in 347 or 348 BC. He was buried in the Academy, the school he founded.

Plato is remembered as one of the greatest philosophers of all time. His ideas have had a profound influence on Western philosophy and science. His dialogues are still read and studied by scholars and philosophers today.