Plato | |
---|---|
![]() Roman copy of a portrait bust c. 370 BC | |
Born | 428/427 or 424/423 BC |
Died | 348 BC (aged c. 75-76 or 79-80) Athens, Greece |
Notable work | |
Era | Ancient Greek philosophy |
School | Platonic Academy |
Notable students | Aristotle |
Main interests | Epistemology, Metaphysics Political philosophy |
Notable ideas | Allegory of the cave Cardinal virtues |
Plato (c. 427 – 347 BC) was one of the most important philosophers of all time.[1][2][3] Born to wealthy parents in Athens, Greece,[3] Plato was a student of Socrates[1][3] (who did not write) and, later, became the teacher of Aristotle.[1] Plato started a university in Athens called the Academy where he taught.[3] Plato wrote about many ideas in philosophy that are still talked about today, including political philosophy and the philosophy of language.[1] One modern scholar, Alfred North Whitehead, said that all European philosophy since Plato is a series of footnotes to his works.[4]