Plato Biography



Socrates BiographySocrates was a Greek philosopher, born around 470 B.C., who is often considered to be the father of Western philosophy, and a key figure in the development of Western civilization.Socrates left no actual writing so impressions of Socrates have come primarily from the writings of his student, Plato. There are also other contributions from Xenophon and a contemporary playwright, Aristophanes.It is possible that Plato embellished the legacy of Socrates by making him appear the most noble philosopher; an ideal to be cherished and followed. The extent of this embellishment is hard to quantify, but the life of Socrates remains a great inspiration to many.The Socratic MethodApart from a brief spell in the army, it is not clear how Socrates earned a living; but he attracted a group of young men, who came to learn and study with Socrates. Socrates sought to teach through a path of self-inquiry. He did not claim to have the answers; he would merely ask questions to his students, forcing them to think for themselves and question their own beliefs. This form of instruction has come to be called the Socratic Method.During Socrates’ life, the state of Athens was undergoing political turmoil after suffering a humiliating defeat in the Peloponnesian War. This increased feelings of nationalism and loyalty to the Athenian state. However, Socrates felt compelled to test, and examine his own countrymen. He was also willing to criticize and test conceptions of justice. At one point, Socrates famously states (as quoted by Plutarch). “I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.”However, his persistent criticisms and questioning created political enemies; his position was worsened by the suspicious climate of the time.A friend of Socrates, Chaerephon, asked the Oracle of Delphi if anyone was wiser than Socrates. The Oracle said that no one was wiser than Socrates.Socrates thought this was a paradox, because he didn’t know anything. However, after talking to all the leading poets and dignitaries of Athens, Socrates realized that although other people thought they knew a lot – actually they didn’t. So Socrates affirmed that the Oracle was right. He was the wisest – purely because he was aware of his own ignorance.“I am wiser than this man, for neither of us appears to know anything great and good; but he fancies he knows something, although he knows nothing; whereas I, as I do not know anything, so I do not fancy I do. In this trifling particular, then, I appear to be wiser than he, because I do not fancy I know what I do not know.”Trial and Execution of SocratesSocrates’ unorthodox political viewpoints and willingness to expose the ignorance of others created many enemies. This led to his arrest and trial. This trial was sensationalized in the dialogues of Plato. Plato paints a picture of a philosopher perfectly detached from the fear of death and committed to the truth. Shortly before his death, Socrates said:“The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways — I to die and you to live. Which is the better, only God knows.”When Socrates was found guilty of ‘corrupting the minds of the youth of Athens and of ‘impiety’ (lack of reverence/respect for the Gods), he calmly accepted the verdict and rather than try and escape the death penalty – he accepted the hemlock poison in 399 B.C. If Socrates had rejected his beliefs, he could have been free; he could also have tried to escape; but as a philosopher he felt it more important to stick to his beliefs. He also felt a social contact with the state of Athens, and therefore should willingly meet his fate. Plato BiographyBackgroundDue to a lack of primary sources from the time period, much of Plato's life has been constructed by scholars through his writings and the writings of contemporaries and classical historians. Traditional history estimates Plato's birth was around 428 B.C., but more modern scholars, tracing later events in his life, believe he was born between 424 and 423 B.C. Both of his parents came from the Greek aristocracy. 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. Greek statesman Solon.As a young man, Plato experienced two major events that set his course in life. One was meeting the great Greek philosopher Socrates. Socrates's methods of dialogue and debate impressed Plato so much that he soon became a close associate and dedicated his life to the question of virtue and the formation of a noble character. The other significant event was the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, in which Plato served for a brief time between 409 and 404 B.C. The defeat of Athens ended its democracy, which the Spartans replaced with an oligarchy. Two of Plato's relatives were prominent figures in the new government, part of the notorious Thirty Tyrants whose brief rule severely reduced the rights of Athenian citizens. After the oligarchy was overthrown and democracy was restored, Plato briefly considered a career in politics, but the execution of Socrates in 399 B.C. soured him on this idea and he turned to a life of study and philosophy.After Socrates's death, Plato traveled for 12 years throughout the Mediterranean region, studying mathematics with the Pythagoreans in Italy, and geometry, geology, astronomy and religion in Egypt. During this time, or soon after, he began his extensive writing. There is some debate among scholars on the order of these writings, but most believe they fall into three distinct periods.?Early, Middle and Late Periods: An OverviewThe first, or early, period occurs during Plato's travels (399-387 B.C.). The Apology of Socrates?seems to have been written shortly after Socrates's death. In these dialogues, Plato attempts to convey Socrates's philosophy and teachings.In the second, or middle, period, Plato writes in his own voice on the central ideals of justice, courage, wisdom and moderation of the individual and society.?The Republic?was written during this time with its exploration of just government ruled by philosopher kings.In the third, or late, period, Socrates is relegated to a minor role and Plato explores the role of art, including dance, music, drama and architecture, as well as ethics and morality. Founding the AcademySometime around 385 B.C., Plato founded a school of learning, known as the Academy, which he presided over until his death. The Academy operated until 529 A.D., when it was closed by Roman Emperor Justinian I, who feared it was a source of paganism and a threat to Christianity. Over its years of operation, the Academy's curriculum included astronomy, biology, mathematics, political theory and philosophy. Plato hoped the Academy would provide a place for future leaders to discover how to build a better government in the Greek city-states. One of his more promising students there was Aristotle, who would take his mentor's teachings in new directions.Final YearsPlato'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., 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.Aristotle BiographyEarly LifeAncient Greek philosopher Aristotle was born circa 384 B.C. When Aristotle turned 17, his family sent him to Athens to pursue a higher education. At the time, Athens was considered the academic center of the universe. In Athens, Aristotle enrolled in Plato’s Academy, Greek’s premier learning institution, and proved an exemplary scholar. Aristotle maintained a relationship with Greek philosopher Plato, himself a student of Socrates, and his academy for two decades. TeachingIn 338 B.C., Aristotle went home to Macedonia to start tutoring King Phillip II’s son, the then 13-year-old Alexander the Great. Phillip and Alexander both held Aristotle in high esteem and ensured that the Macedonia court generously compensated him for his work.In 335 B.C., after Alexander had succeeded his father as king and conquered Athens, Aristotle went back to the city. In Athens, Plato’s Academy was still the leading influence on Greek thought. With Alexander’s permission, Aristotle started his own school in Athens, called the Lyceum. On and off, Aristotle spent most of the remainder of his life working as a teacher, researcher and writer at the Lyceum in Athens.Lyceum members researched subjects ranging from science and math to philosophy and politics, and nearly everything in between. Art was also a popular area of interest. Members of the Lyceum wrote up their findings in manuscripts. In so doing, they built the school’s massive collection of written materials, which by ancient accounts was credited as one of the first great libraries.ScienceAlthough Aristotle was not technically a scientist by today’s definitions, science was among the subjects that he researched at length during his time at the Lyceum. Aristotle believed that knowledge could be obtained through interacting with physical objects. Aristotle’s research in the sciences included a study of biology. He attempted, with some error, to classify animals into genera based on their similar characteristics. He further classified animals into species based on those that had red blood and those that did not. Despite the relative inaccuracy of his hypothesis, Aristotle’s classification was regarded as the standard system for hundreds of years.Marine biology was also an area of fascination for Aristotle. Through dissection, he closely examined the anatomy of marine creatures. In contrast to his biological classifications, his observations of marine life, as expressed in his books, are considerably more accurate.As evidenced in his treatise?Meteorology, Aristotle also dabbled in the earth sciences. In?Meteorology, Aristotle identified the water cycle and discussed topics ranging from natural disasters to astrological events. Although many of his views on the Earth were controversial at the time, they were readopted and popularized during the late Middle Ages.Philosophy and PoliticsOne of the main focuses of Aristotle’s philosophy was his systematic concept of logic. Aristotle's philosophy therefore involved both inductive and deductive reasoning, observing the workings of the world around him and then reasoning from the particular to a knowledge of essences and universal laws. In a sense, Aristotle was the first major proponent of the modern scientific method. The Lyceum was an unprecedented school of organized scientific inquiry. There was no comparable scientific enterprise for over 2,000 years after the founding of the Lyceum.With regards to politics, Aristotle argued that humans are, by nature, political animals. This means that humans are also social animals and that any understanding of human behavior and human needs must include social considerations. He also investigated the merits of various kinds of political systems, describing their different virtues and vices. His classification system of monarchies, oligarchies, tyrannies, democracies and republics is still used today.Death and LegacyIn 322 B.C., just a year after he fled to Chalcis to escape prosecution under charges of impiety (lack of reverence/respect for the Gods), Aristotle contracted a disease of the digestive organs and died. In the century following his passing, his works fell out of use, but were revived during the first century. Over time, they came to lay the foundation of more than seven centuries of philosophy. Solely regarding his influence on philosophy, Aristotle’s work influenced ideas from late antiquity all the way through the Renaissance. Aristotle’s influence on Western thought in the humanities and social sciences is largely considered unparalleled, with the exception of his teacher Plato’s contributions, and Plato’s teacher Socrates before him. QuestionsWhat are 3 main beliefs or actions your philosopher is known for?What contributions of your philosopher are still relevant today?Do you agree with your philosopher, why or why not?What kind of government do you think your philosopher would agree with, give an example from the reading to back up your statement. ................
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