Plato's Philosophical Influence

Plato's Philosophical Influence

Plato's upbringing and instruction from Socrates further developed Plato's philosophy, which affected the thinking of today. Plato was born in the year of 348 in Athens. Plato was born in the month of Thargelion (May-June) 428-7 B.C. to Ariston and Perictione. He died at the age of eighty or eighty-one in 348-7 B.C. Plato's birth fell in the fourth year of the Archidamian war. His influence has stayed profound from early to modern times as he set ahead vital problems and concepts facing philosophy, psychology, logic, and politics. This Greek philosopher was one of the most important and original thinkers of the early world.

Plato came from a wealthy family and was very profitable at the educational facilities wealthy families were able to afford in Athens. Plato met Socrates around the age of twenty and their teacher-pupil relationship lasted between eight and ten years. He had quite an interest in other philosophers, but only before he met Socrates. In Plato's early career he was commited to poetry. These interests were all apart of his search of wisdom, and whom under Socrates his devotion came deeper in. Socrates' death gave Plato the courage to travel to Egypt, Magna Graecia, and Sicily. These trips were to influence the Dionysius' in approval to his ideal system of government. He did not succeed in his efforts to influence the two rulers, causing him to be thrown into prison. However, a friend came to free him and he returned to his school, the Platonic Academy, in Athens. At his school there was more attention given to literary form and less use of the method of illustration that depicted the Socratic manner of display. Among his some of his works the more genuine incl...

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... Plato's works are some of the finest writings, his style was unique and unparalled. Through his works other writers such as Shakespeare have been inspired to write in different forms as well. It is through these writers that Plato remains as one of the most influential and original philosophers from the ancient to modern days.

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Works Cited

Mendenhall, J.W. Plato and Paul or Philosophy and Christianity. Cincinnati: Jennings & Graham, 1886.

More, Paul Elmer. The Religion of Plato. New York: Kraus Reprint Co., 1970.

Taylor, Alfred Edward. Platonism and Its Influence. New York: Cooper Square Publishers, Inc., 1963.

Taylor, Alfred Edward. Plato: The Man and His Work. Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, 1956.

Wilbur, James B, Harold J. Allen. The Worlds of Plato and Aristotle. American Book Company.