Plato (Aristocles) (428/427-348/347 BCE)

• An ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms. He raised problems for what became all the major areas of both theoretical philosophy and practical philosophy, and was the founder of the Platonic Academy, a philosophical school in Athens where Plato taught the doctrines that would later become known as Platonism.

• Plato's most famous contribution is the theory of forms (or ideas), which has been interpreted as advancing a solution to what is now known as the problem of universals. He was decisively influenced by the pre-Socratic thinkers Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides, although much of what is known about them is derived from Plato himself.

• Along with his teacher Socrates, and Aristotle, his student, Plato is a central figure in the history of philosophy. Plato's entire body of work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years—unlike that of nearly all of his contemporaries. Although their popularity has fluctuated, they have consistently been read and studied through the ages. Through Neoplatonism, he also greatly influenced both Christian and Islamic philosophy. In modern times, Alfred North Whitehead famously said: "the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato."

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Quotes by Plato:

• The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.

• Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.

• Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.

• He who is of calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition youth and age are equally a burden.

• Courage is knowing what not to fear.

• Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil.

• The greatest wealth is to live content with little.

• Excellence is not a gift, but a skill that takes practice. We do not act ‘rightly’ because we are ‘excellent’, in fact we achieve ‘excellence’ by acting ‘rightly.

• No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth.

• Reality is created by the mind, we can change our reality by changing our mind.

• Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.

• To do wrong is the greatest of evils.

• Happiness springs from doing good and helping others.

• Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.

• False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

• The right question is usually more important than the right answer.

• We do not learn, and what we call learning is only a process of recollection.

• Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.

• If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools.

• The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.

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Key Takeaways From Plato:

• You don’t need much to live a happy life

• Study yourself

• Study philosophy

• Gain knowledge

• Surround yourself with good people

• Live with justice, courage, temperance

• Take care of yourself (body, mind, spirit)

• Education is vital. Learn something new every day by reaching, thinking, and doing.

• Live with justice and integrity. Don’t focus on what others say or do. Focus on excellence.

• Be involved in your community. Teach others. Lead others. Otherwise, you’ll be led by inferiors.

• Be willing to look like an idiot. Make learning and teaching your goal. Make life worth living. Play!

 

 

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