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Plato

Athenian philosopher, student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, who founded the Academy in Athens. His dialogues, most featuring Socrates as the main speaker,…

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Πλάτων

Also known as Platon, Aristocles

c. 428 – 348 BCE · Athens

Traditions: Greek & Roman

Schools: Platonism

Athenian philosopher, student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, who founded the Academy in Athens. His dialogues, most featuring Socrates as the main speaker, set the agenda for much of later philosophy in ethics, metaphysics, epistemology and politics.

Key ideas

  • The theory of Forms: unchanging realities grasped by reason rather than the senses
  • Knowledge as recollection of what the soul already knows
  • The tripartite soul and justice as the right ordering of its parts
  • The philosopher-ruler and the education described in the Republic

Major works

  • Apology (c. 399–390 BCE)
  • Phaedo (c. 380s BCE)
  • Symposium (c. 385–370 BCE)
  • Republic (c. 375 BCE)

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