Plato

Plato is one of the most important philosophers who ever lived, and his thought has influenced the entire subsequent Western philosophical tradition. He was born Aristocles into an aristocratic Greek family, along with two brothers and a sister. The young Aristocles was said to have been given his nickname, Plato, by his wrestling coach (platon means “broad” in Greek). According to tradition, in his youth, Plato wanted to become a playwright—but in his late teens or early twenties, he heard Socrates teaching in the marketplace and decided to devote his life to philosophy. Plato continued to study under Socrates until the age of 28, in 399 B.C.E, when the older philosopher was tried and executed for impiety. After this, Plato spent time traveling around the Mediterranean before settling down in Athens to write and establish his Academy, the predecessor of the modern university; Aristotle became his most famous student. The Academy persisted until 86 B.C.E. Plato also invented the dialogue, a literary form which depicts a conversation between one or more characters with the goal of solving a problem or uncovering a profound truth. Some of Plato’s most famous dialogues (he wrote more than 20) include Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo, The Symposium, and the Republic. Plato died at the age of 81.