biography of plato

Plato (427-347 BC) His political and moral philosophy dominates a long chain of thinkers, writers and critics. After living for a time at the Syracuse court, Plato founded (c.387 B.C.) Sometime around 385 B.C.E., Plato founded a school of learning, known as the Academy, which he presided over until his death. Plato accepted, hoping the experience would produce a philosopher king. In 367 B.C.E., Plato was invited by Dion, a friend and disciple, to be the personal tutor of his nephew, Dionysius II, the new ruler of Syracuse (Sicily). For 2,400 years, Plato’s writings have been interpreted, re-interpreted, debated, and taught as the foundational issues and methods of Western philosophical discourse. He was the student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle and was immensely … Although both Plato and Aristotle had a similar childhood and upraising and followed some of the same footprints both Aristotle and Plato share both many different moral and beliefs on certain issues such as epistemology, cosmology and body and soul theory. Euripides was one of the great Athenian playwrights and poets of ancient Greece, known for the many tragedies he wrote, including 'Medea' and 'The Bacchae.'. Plato's father died when he was young, and his mother remarried her uncle, Pyrilampes, a Greek politician and ambassador to Persia. In the second, or middle, period, Plato writes in his own voice on the central ideals of justice, courage, wisdom and moderation of the individual and society. Plato is one of the most important Greek philosophers. Biography of Plato. The Republic was written during this time with its exploration of just government ruled by philosopher kings. Plato is believed to have had two full brothers, one sister and a half brother, though it is not certain where he falls in the birth order. Plato was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle. Plato (Ancient Greek: Πλάτων, Plátōn, "wide, broad-shouldered"; c. 428/427 – c. 348/347 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, the second of the trio of ancient Greeks including Socrates and Aristotle said to have laid the philosophical foundations of Western culture. Ancient Greek philosopher Plato was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. Born in the era of ancient philosophy, Plato is one of the world’s most recognized philosophers of classical Greece. Neha December 18, 2017. The Academy operated until 529 C.E.., when it was closed by Roman Emperor Justinian I, who feared it was a source of paganism and a threat to Christianity. GREAT Biography of Plato. Plato would eventually leave Syracuse, while Dion later returned to Syracuse and overthrew Dionysius II, only to be usurped by Callipus, another disciple of Plato. Plato wrote about many ideas in philosophy that are still talked about today. For further biographical reading, see also: The Cambridge Companion to Plato, ed. These dates, however, are not entirely certain, for according to Diogenes Laertius (D.L. In another reversal of fortune, Dionysius II expelled his uncle Dion, and compelled Plato to remain. He authored philosophical works of unparalleled influences. Still another account simply says he died in his sleep. He influenced many of the writers or researchers such as Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Pythagoreans. near Athens the most influential school of the ancient world, the Academy, where he taught until his death. - Plato Biography and List of Works - Plato Books It has been sug… Fortunately, chancing upon an admirer who purchased his freedom, Plato was spared and found his way home. Plato’s birthplace and time are not known but it has been estimated between 427/428 B.C. Other texts in this time period include Protagoras, Euthyphro, Hippias Major and Minor and Ion. Dana Plato was a child actress on the television show Diff'rent Strokes. Plato was probably born in 427 BC, and died around 347 BC, aged about 80. There are few contemporary sources for the life of Plato. Richard Kraut, Cambridge: 1992. he became a pupil and friend of Socrates. The curriculum would have featured the doctrines of Cratylus and Pythagoras as well as Parmenides. It is widely accepted that Plato, the Athenian philosopher, was born in 428-7 B.C.E and died at the age of eighty or eighty-one at 348-7 B.C.E. He wrote about ideas of deductive reasoning. Plato hoped the Academy would provide a place for future leaders to discover how to build a better government in the Greek city-states. Plato was said to be an ancient Greek philosopher. Plato (423 BC – 348 BC) was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens – the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. In 407 B.C. Plato was born sometime between 428 and 427 B.C. Often, members of Plato's family appeared in his dialogues. As a young man, Plato experienced two major events that set his course in life. These probably helped develop the foundation for Plato's study of metaphysics (the study of nature) and epistemology (the study of knowledge). This too is possible, although there is record that the name Plato was given to boys before Aristocles was born. Both of his parents came from the Greek aristocracy. When he was in his late teens or early twenties, Plato heard Socrates teaching in the market and abandoned his plans to pursue a literary career as a playwright; he burned his early work and devoted himself to philosophy.It is likely that Plato had known Socrates, at least by reputation, since youth. Plato was a student of Socrates(who did not write) and the teacher of Aristotle, who founded another university, known as the Lyceum. Plato grew up in the Greek city-state of Athens during the Classical Period of Ancient Greece. His most famous pupil there was Aristotle. It counts among its illustrious alumni many fine minds, but none more renowned than Aristotle. Both his mother and father were members of wealthy and politically powerful families in Athens, which was at the time of Plato's birth embroiled in a political upheaval involving the city-states of Athens and Sparta and their allies. While there, Dionysius’ brother-in-law, Dion, became Plato’s disciple. Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher considered to be the main source of Western thought. Over its years of operation, the Academy's curriculum included astronomy, biology, mathematics, political theory and philosophy. As the scion of a rich and aristocratic family, he received good education under renowned teachers, including Socrates. His writings deal with justice, beauty and equality, as well as written on aesthetics, political philosophy, theology, cosmology, epistemology and the philosophy of language. According to one source, Plato died peacefully in his bed listening to the sweet sounds of a Thracian flute girl. soured him on this idea and he turned to a life of study and philosophy. ), an Athenian of the ancient Greece, is the first major figure in the history of Western philosophy who is believed to be one of the most creative and influential thinkers in Western intellectual tradition. As with many young boys of his social class, Plato was probably taught by some of Athens' finest educators. © 2021 The Foundation for Constitutional Government Inc. All rights reserved. Athens, Greece. Plato represents the starting point of Western philosophy. In the third, or late, period, Socrates is relegated to a minor role and Plato takes a closer look at his own early metaphysical ideas. The family of his mother, Perictione, boasted a relationship with the great Athenian legislator Solon. There is some debate among scholars on the order of these writings, but most believe they fall into three distinct periods. Ancient Greek philosopher Plato founded the Academy and is the author of philosophical works of unparalleled influence in Western thought. He explores the role of art, including dance, music, drama and architecture, as well as ethics and morality. During this time, or soon after, he began his extensive writing. Plato and fellow … Although historians don't know a lot about Plato's early life they know he came from a wealthy family and likely had two brothers and a sister. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. But Dionysius fell far short of expectations and suspected Dion, and later Plato, of conspiring against him. One story says he traveled to Egypt. As is common among many of the great philosophers of his day, records about the birth and early life of Plato do not exist. The Greek philosopher Plato was a student of Socrates, and teacher of Aristotle. Upon the death of Dionysius, according to Plato’s account in his Seventh Letter, Dion requested that Plato return to Syracuse to tutor young Dionysius II. Arianna Huffington is a prolific author and international media mogul who started the award-winning news platform The Huffington Post. Plato, 427?-347 B.C., Greek philosopher. Another source reports that he died while attending a friend’s wedding feast. PLATO – THE ATHENIAN PHILOSOPHER Biography: What was Plato Known for Plato (c.428-348 BCE) Although usually remembered today as a philosopher, Plato was also one of ancient Greece’s most important patrons of mathematics. 3.2-3.3). His thought had enormous impact on the development of Western philosophy. After founding the Academy, Plato became involved in the politics of Syracuse. Ancient sources offer differing accounts of Plato’s death. Later in life, after the death of Socrates, Plato traveled around Egypt, Italy, Sicily, and Cyrene, Libya. Plato was born in Athens, the son of Ariston and Perictione, both of Athenian aristocratic ancestry. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! he studied Socrates also he was a teacher of Aristotle and he found the academy. Biography; Plato Plato. Early, Middle and Late Periods: An Overview. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. El Greco was a Greek artist whose painting and sculpture helped define the Spanish Renaissance and influence various movements to come. Eventually, Plato returned to Athens and his Academy. She fell into drug addiction and died of an overdose in 1999. According to Diogenes Laertius, who lived many centuries later than the philosophers about whom he was writing, Plato was born to Ariston, an Athenian aristocrat who traced his lineage to Codrus, the king of Athens, and to Melanthus, the king of Messina. Ancient Greek philosopher Plato was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. According to Diogenes, Plato visited Syracuse while it was under the rule of Dionysius. Plato was a classical Greek philosopher and mathematician, influencing the realm of Western philosophy. His father Ariston died when he was a child. His work on the use of reason to develop a more fair and just society that is focused on the equality of individuals established the foundation for modern democracy. The circumstances surrounding his death are clouded, though it is fairly certain that he died in Athens around 348 B.C.E., when he was in his early 80s. He had Dion exiled and Plato placed under "house arrest." Our very conception of philosophy—of rigorous thinking concerning the true situation of man, the nature of the whole, and the perplexity of being—owes a great debt to his work. Because Aristotle had disagreed with some of Plato’s philosophical treatises, Aristotle did not inherit the position of director of the academy, as many imagined he would. THINKERS. The Greek poet Homer is credited with being the first to write down the epic stories of 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey,' and the impact of his tales continues to reverberate through Western culture. Ancient Greek statesman Pericles, leader of Athens from 460–429 B.C., organized the construction of the Parthenon and developed a democracy based on majority rule. But there is no conclusive evidence of this, or that Plato was the eldest son in his family. In these dialogues, Plato attempts to convey Socrates's philosophy and teachings. After the oligarchy was overthrown and democracy was restored, Plato briefly considered a career in politics, but the execution of Socrates in 399 B.C.E. He met Socratesaround 407 BC and became his disciple in philosophy. The first, or early, period occurs during Plato's travels (399-387 B.C.E.). Historians believe this is an indication of Plato's pride in his family lineage. After Socrates's death, Plato traveled for 12 years throughout the Mediterranean region, studying mathematics with the Pythagoreans in Italy, and geometry, geology, astronomy and religion in Egypt. Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher who played an important role in the development of Western philosophy. No area of inquiry seems foreign to him: his writings investigate ethics, politics, mathematics, metaphysics, logic, aesthetics, and epistemology in tremendous depth and breadth. Other historians claim that "Plato" was a nickname, referring to his broad physical build. Plato was born in 428 or 427 b.c. Greek statesman Solon. His beliefs on the importance of mathematics in education have proven to be essential for understanding the entire universe. ), following Apollodorus' chronology, Plato was born the year Pericles died, was six years younger than Isocrates, and died at the age of eighty-four (D.L. His mother Perictione remarried the politician Pyrilampes. Due to a lack of primary sources from the time period, much of Plato's life has been constructed by scholars through his writings and the writings of contemporaries and classical historians. Traditional history estimates Plato's birth was around 428 B.C.E., but more modern scholars, tracing later events in his life, believe he was born between 424 and 423 B.C.E. In the year 407, at the age of twenty, he met Socrates, being admired by the personality and the speech of Socrates. An admiration that will accompany him all his life and will mark Plato’s philosophical future. Biography of Plato. One was meeting the great Greek philosopher Socrates. One of his more promising students there was Aristotle, who would take his mentor's teachings in new directions. In the words of Alfred North Whitehead, “The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.”. His mother, Perictione, is said to be related to the 6th century B.C.E. It seems unlikely that Plato had a very intense relationship with the one he considered his master. Plato's biography is drawn mainly from the work of other ancient writers and a few of what are presumed to be Plato's letters. Dion, however, later turned against Plato, selling him into slavery. Socrates was executed in 399 BC. His works on philosophy, politics and mathematics were very influential and laid the foundations for Euclid's systematic approach to mathematics. founded the Academy, one of the great philosophical schools of antiquity. Plato's impact on philosophy and the nature of humans has had a lasting impact far beyond his homeland of Greece. He was condemned to death for his Socratic method of questioning. It is believed the school was located at an enclosed park named for a legendary Athenian hero. Plato, (born 428/427 bce, Athens, Greece—died 348/347, Athens), ancient Greek philosopher, student of Socrates (c. 470–399 bce), teacher of Aristotle (384–322 bce), and founder of the Academy, best known as the author of philosophical works of unparalleled influence. View seven larger pictures He founded the Academy in Athens. The Greek philosopher Plato (428-347 B.C.) Among the most important of these abstract objects (as they are now called, because they are not located in spac… According to an anecdote told by the Greek biographer Diogenes Laertius, Plato was originally named Aristocles. Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher, one of the three greatest figures of the ancient period of Western philosophy (the others were Plato and Aristotle), who lived in Athens in the 5th century BCE.A legendary figure even in his own time, he was admired by his followers for his integrity, his self-mastery, his profound philosophical insight, and his great argumentative skill. The Academy was open until its destruction by Sulla in 84 BCE. Plato is one of the most brilliant and far-reaching writers to have ever lived. Although Hippocrates probably didn't write the famous oath that bears his name, it serves as foundation for the oath medical school graduates take at the start of their careers. Inspired by Pythagoras, he founded his Academy in Athens in 387 BCE, where he stressed mathematics as a way of understanding more […] Dion believed that Dionysius showed promise as an ideal leader. He remained a diligent disciple of Socrates, and along with Socrates and his renowned student Aristotle, he found the first higher learning academy in Athens.Plato’s philosophy is heavily influenced by Socrates, Parmenides, Heraclitus and Pythagoras. Accompany him all his life and will mark Plato ’ s birthplace and time are known! To convey Socrates 's philosophy and teachings various movements to come movements to come of higher in! Way home, later turned against Plato, ed mathematics, science and nature, and! 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Period include Protagoras, Euthyphro, Hippias major and Minor and Ion Dionysius II expelled uncle...

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