ETHICS
LIFE AND WORKS OF PLATO
with Shyren and Geselle
INTRODUCTION
Plato was an ancient Greek
philosopher. He was a student of
Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, both
philosophers, as well. Plato contributed
many texts on various topics including
government, reality, beauty, education,
truth, nature, and more. He is viewed as
the father of Western Philosophy.
BIOGRAPHY
Plato, whose actual name was Aristocles, was
born in Athens or Aegina, between 428 and
423 BC.
Plato's father, Ariston, descended from the
kings of Athens and Messenia.
His mother, Perictione, is said to be related to
the 6th century B.C.E. Greek statesman Solon.
Plato is believed to have had two full brothers,
one sister and a half brother.
Plato experienced two major events that set
his course in life.
1. ) Meeting the great Greek philosopher
Socrates.
2. ) Peloponnesian War between Athens and
Sparta, in which Plato served for a brief time
between 409 and 404 B.C.E.
After Socrates's death, Plato traveled for 12
years throughout the Mediterranean region.
FOUNDING THE ACADEMY
Sometime around 385 B.C.E., Plato
founded a school of learning, known
as the Academy, which he presided
over until his death. It is believed the
school was located at an enclosed
park named for a legendary
Athenian hero.
▪︎ 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) in which Plato
accepted.
▪︎ Dionysius had Dion exiled and Plato
placed under house arrest.
PLATO'S WORKS
His writings are primarily in the form of
dialogues, where his teacher Socrates
plays a central role.
The Republic is among the most
celebrated and influential works by Plato.
Written in dialogue form, it tackles subjects
like justice, political philosophy, education,
and metaphysics.
The Symposium, explores the meaning of love or
eros through a series of speeches delivered at a
social gathering.
In Phaedo, Plato presents Socrates’ final moments
before his execution, focusing on the immortality of
the soul. Socrates argues that the soul is eternal
and that death is not to be feared.
In Apology, Plato summarizes Socrates’ defense at
his trial and highlights his unwavering commitment to
truth-seeking in philosophical inquiry.
In Meno, Plato explores whether virtue can be
taught, learned, or is inherent. Meno starts by asking
Socrates whether virtue can be taught, leading to a
discussion on the nature of knowledge and virtue.
Phaedrus is a dialogue primarily concerned with the
nature of love and rhetoric. Socrates delivers
speeches on love, discussing its role in inspiring
madness and divine inspiration.
In Timaeus, Plato presents a cosmological dialogue
in which the main speaker, Timaeus, offers an
elaborate creation myth.
Unlike The Republic, which focuses on an ideal
society ruled by philosopher-kings, The Laws
provides a more pragmatic view of governance.
It is Plato’s longest dialogue and involves a
detailed examination of laws necessary to
govern a state.
PLATO'S DEATH
Plato's final years were spent at the
Academy and with his writing. 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. Some scholars
suggest that he died while attending a
wedding, while others believe he died
peacefully in his sleep.
PLATO'S MOST FAMOUS LINES
For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of
all victories.
Thinking: the talking of the soul with itself.
We are twice armed if we fight with faith.
He who commits injustice is ever made more wretched
than he who suffers it.
REFERENCES
https://www.biography.com/scholars-
educators/plato
Plato. The Republic. Translated by G.M.A. Grube,
revised by C.D.C. Reeve. Hackett Publishing, 1992.
Plato. Phaedo. Translated by G.M.A. Grube, revised by
John Cooper. Hackett Publishing, 1997.
Plato. Apology. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. The
Project Gutenberg, Link.
Fine, G. Plato on Knowledge and Forms: Selected
Essays. Oxford University Press, 2003.
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