Plato

By: Daniel Moses

http://www.philosophypages.com/vy/plat1.jpg

Overview of Plato’s Life

• Birth:  427 BC in Athens• Died: 347 BC in Athens• Educated by Socrates• Travelled most of Egypt and Italy after Socrates’s death

Early Years

• Plato’s family was a wealthy and respected Athenian family• Plato’s father died while Plato was still young and his Mother

then married Pyrilampes.• Plato’s original name was Aistocles however was later

nicknamed Platon, meaning broad.• Plato’s family had a history in Politics, hence he was destined

to keep his family’s “job”.

Education

• When Plato was young he studied music and poetry.• Aristotle wrote that Plato developed the foundations of his

metaphysics and epistemology by studying the documents by Cratylus, and the work of Pythagoras and Parmenides.

• Under the study of Socrates Plato developed his philosophy and style of debate. He also directed his education more towards the questions of virtue and the formation of a noble character

http://home.wlu.edu/~mahonj/Ancient_Philosophers/Plato&Aristotlepic.htm

Carrier

• Once Plato returned to Athens and started a Academy in hopes to pass on Socrates's lessons.

• Plato was in military service from 409 BC to 404 BC or in other words during the Peloponnesian War.

• Plato has also written many books on his different philosophies. Many of these works are available today to read (not the originals though).

• He also became the instructor to Dion, brother-in-law of the tyrant Dionysius I.

http://www.ariseindiaforum.org/tripod-framework-compass-sailing-high-seas/plato/

Death/influence

• Plato died at the age of 81 because of natural cause.

• Much of Plato’s works have influenced the modern world/government.