Plato

Plato

Plato (Π λ α τ ώ ν, 427-347 BC) is a great philosopher in ancient Greece and one of the greatest philosophers and thinkers in the whole western culture.

Plato, his teacher Socrates and his student Aristotle are called the three sages of Greece. The concepts he created or developed include: Platonism, Platonism, platonic love and so on. Plato's main works are dialogues, most of which are presented by Socrates. However, the academic circles generally believe that the image of Socrates is not completely the real Socrates in history.

Besides Homer, Plato was also influenced by many writers and thinkers before him, including the concept of "harmony" proposed by Pythagoras, and anaxagora's theory of mind or reason as the basis for judging the correctness of anything; Parmenides' theory of connecting all things may also affect Plato's concept of soul.

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Plato's original name is aristocles. Aristocles means well named. Later, he was called Plato because of his strong body (in Greek, platus means "flat and wide"). Later, Plato's name was adopted.

Plato is a famous ancient Greek philosopher. He wrote many works and founded a famous Academy in Athens. He is a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. They are widely regarded as the founders of western philosophy. Like many ancient documents, Plato's works are incomplete and controversial. His Socratic dialogues became the main source for later generations to study their thoughts, but many of the contents recorded Plato's own views rather than Socrates' original intention.

It is speculated that Plato was born on May 7, 427 B.C. or may or December, 428 B.C. (like other early Western philosophers, his date of birth is still unknown). Plato was born in a relatively wealthy athenian slave owner aristocratic family, claiming to be the descendant of the king of ancient Athens. His father was Ariston, his mother was peritione, and he was the fourth in the family. He was also the nephew of Critias, a well-known politician in Athens at that time, but the relationship between them is still controversial. According to Diogenes larsius, Plato's original name was aristokles, and later he was called Plato because of his broad shoulders (platus means "flat, broad" in Greek). But Diogenes also mentioned that Plato's name might come from his fluent and broad eloquence or his broad forehead. Because of Plato's excellent learning ability and other talents, the ancient Greeks also praised him as the son of Apollo, and said that when Plato was a baby, there were bees on his lips, so his eloquence was so sweet and fluent.

Plato initially intended to inherit the family tradition and go into politics, but later things changed. In the war with Sparta, Athenian democracy was defeated, and then the "Thirty Tyrants" came to power. The "Thirty Tyrants" were replaced by a new representative government.

In 399 BC, Socrates was tried and sentenced to death. Plato was completely disappointed with the existing political system, so he began to travel all over Italy, Sicily, Egypt, Cyrene and other places to seek knowledge.

It is said that when he was 40 years old, he returned to Athens in 387 B.C., and founded his own school, Plato college, in akademi, in the northwest corner of Athens. This college became one of the earliest institutions of higher learning with complete organization in Western civilization, hence the name of the higher academic institution of later generations. It is also the predecessor of the University developed in the West in the middle ages Body. The name of the college is related to the address of the college. It is located on the land where the legendary Greek hero akademos once lived, so it is named after it. The Academy existed for more than 900 years until it was closed by Justinian in 529. The college was greatly influenced by Pythagoras, and its curriculum was similar to the traditional topics of Pythagorean School, including arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and acoustics. The college has trained many intellectuals, the most outstanding of which is Aristotle.

In addition to Homer, Plato was also influenced by many writers and thinkers before that, including the concept of "harmony" proposed by Pythagoras, and anaxagora's teaching that Socrates should take mind or reason as the basis for judging anything; Parmenides' theory of connecting all things may also affect Plato's concept of soul.

Life of the characters

28 years of growth

427 BC

Plato was born (the first year of the 88th Olympiad) and has a distinguished family. This year is four years after the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War and the second year after Pericles' death. Socrates is 42 years old.

423 BC

At the age of 4, Aristophane's "the cloud" was staged. Socrates was present to watch it and showed himself to the public on the spot.

421 BC

Six years old, said to be the time of the Republic.

420 BC

At the age of 7, he went to Dionysus school to read and listen to Homer's poems.

411 BC

At the age of 16, Protagoras was accused by 400 members of the Congress of disobedience. He escaped from Athens and died on his way to Sicily (Anaxagoras, Pythagoras and Heraclitus were persecuted or expelled, executed or voluntarily exiled philosophers before).

409-403 BC

It is estimated that he has been on cavalry duty and is said to have participated in three battles.

408 BC

Gorgia made a speech at the 93rd Olympiad, calling on Athens and Sparta to unite against Persia.

407 BC

At the age of 20, he studied with Socrates. Before that, he studied Heraclitus philosophy from cratylus and Parmenides philosophy from Hermogenes. It is said that he once wanted to write a play for Socrates, which was denied.

405 BC

Syracuse Dionysus overthrew democracy and established a tyrant regime.

404 BC

At the age of 23, after the Peloponnesian War ended, Plato, the thirty tyrant of Athens, once wanted to enter politics, but later he was disappointed.

399 BC

At the age of 28, Socrates was tried (in Plato's presence) and executed. When Socrates died, Plato was absent because of illness.

Tour term 12 years

398 BC

Plato and other Socrates' disciples left Athens one after another to seek shelter in other places, and went to Sicily, Italy and Egypt.

392 BC

He was 35 years old. Before and after that, he wrote early dialogues: at this stage, his views did not go beyond Socrates' teachers' arguments, little Hippias, chamedith, lahes, Lissi, ushiphro, Crito, and Protagoras.

Isocrates founded a school in Athens and taught oratory.

390 BC

Overseas visits: political power controlled by Pythagoras School, etc.

388 BC

During his visit to Syracuse Dionysus I, he met his son-in-law Dion (when Dion was 20 years old) and became a close friend with Dion (during this period, he was said to have offended the tyrant and sold as a slave, who was redeemed by aniseres).

Teaching term 20 years

387 BC

At the age of 40, he returned to Athens and began to teach personally, or to establish a college in this year. Before and after that, he wrote Dialogues: Protagoras, Meno, and eurydmus.

In the middle period, he developed his own views and methodology, including Pedro, gorkia, manor, eurythemus, theaetes, Sophists, politics, Parmenides and cratilus.

385 BC

The vindication of Socrates: the statue of Socrates.

384 BC

43 years old, Aristotle born, demosthenian born.

387 BC

A school Park was set up in the pottery district on the northwest outskirts of Athens. "Those who do not understand geometry are not allowed to enter this gate." It is called "Plato's Academy" in the world.

376 BC

Gorgias died.

371 BC

The army of Thebes defeated Sparta under the command of ibamijonda.

370 BC

Democritus died. It is said that Plato wanted to buy his books and set them on fire.

The period of writing is 20 years

367 BC

At the age of 60, he handed over the school to eudoxos to preside over. He took his disciples and friends to Syracuse for the second time. When the old Dionysus died and Dion was regent, Plato was well-known in Greece and beyond.

Aristotle came to Athens to study.

366 BC

Dionysus II succeeded, Dion (Dionysus II's brother-in-law) fled, Plato left Syracuse.

363 BC

He was 64 years old and went to Syracuse for the third time. He was detained and expelled.

357 BC

At the age of 70, he gave up political activities and devoted himself to writing

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