Plato
Plato (Πλάτων, circa 428/7-348/7 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosopher, the pupil of Socrates.
Born into a prominent family that claimed descent from the god Poseidon [1], Plato’s experiences while growing up shaped his philosophy. Early on he was praised for his development and education by his instructors. He was educated in many disciplines, creating a well-rounded approach to the world [2]. His first experiences with philosophy came from Cratylus, a pre-Socratic philosopher whose teachings brought the idea of the Helaclitean doctrine which influenced Plato’s ideas on philosophy [3]. As many sources conclude, Plato more than exercised his thoughts through his works, but spent the better part of his life practicing them [4]. His work in Government affairs was concluded when Socrates was executed, due to Plato’s lack of trust in Athenian government [5]. Plato went on to create the first university in history, where he went about educating the men of society on the prosecution of scientific study [6].
Plato’s influence as the first complete Philosopher may be noted from his many works that deal with a wide variety of philosophical topics [7]. Plato’s dedication to the Truth would drive him to create the framework for Western philosophy [8]. Plato offers the most detailed account of Socrates and his work over any other sources from the time [9]. His works on Socrates in some cases was for no other purpose than to put in writing the views of his teacher [10]. In The Republic, one Plato’s most influential works, the idea for the perfect government system ruled by and with justice is laid out from the ideas of Socrates [11]. Among Plato’s dialogues The Statesman provides another look at government where he works to define every aspect of a good statesman and their government and comes to the conclusion that, “the best government is lawless,” flexible for the individuals it governs [12].
Plato’s contributions to philosophy and the world are undeniable: a great amount of the world’s progress has to be attributed to his work and dedication for truth. He managed to lead a humble life from a not so humble beginning and dedicated much of his thought and time to recording the thoughts of his instructor, Socrates.
References
Citations
- Biffle, Christopher. A Guided Tour of Five Works By Plato. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co., 2001.ISBN 0-7674-1033-5
- Cairns, Huntington and Edith Hamilton, ed. The Collected Dialogues of Plato. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1961. Library of Congress Catalogue Card No. 61-11758
- Taylor, A.E.. Plato; The Man and His Works. London, Great Britain: Redwood Press Limited, 1971.ISBN 9780486416052
- “Plato’s Ethics and Politics in the Republic.” Tue 1 Apr, 2003. Stanford University. Nov 14, 2007.
- “Plato.” 2004. Stanford University. Nov 14, 2007.