Plato, Philosophy, And Philosophy - 929 Words

â€Å"Plato is philosophy, and philosophy, Plato.† – Ralph Waldo Emerson. This was the first quote I read regarding Plato when I first picked up the Great Dialogues of Plato, and turned it over to read the back cover. This quote struck me for some unknown reason and I instantly couldn’t wait to begin reading the dialogues of Plato and begin to understand why he is regarded as one of the great philosophers. The first piece I read, was The Apology, spoken by the great philosopher Socrates and written down by his student Plato. The Apology was Socrates defense in the Athenian court against accusations that were falsely brought upon Socrates. The charges brought against Socrates was that he was a corruptor of the youth and that he believed in supernatural phenomena of his own invention rather than the gods of the state. At first, the dialogue was a smidge difficult for me to read, but as I began getting more involved in the reading and understanding more how Socrates talks, it became much easier to understand the content behind his words. Not once did Socrates beg and cry the jury for his life, but he rather defended his philosophy. While reading The Apology by Socrates, I learned many things, the most notable being: it is important to know oneself, wisdom does not come from specialized knowledge, and that one should focus on the pursuit of truth and of improving of one’s soul. Perhaps the most important of messages I took away from Socrates The Apology, is the notion ofShow MoreRelatedThe Philosophy Of Plato s Philosophy1340 Words   |  6 PagesEthics? Philosophy? What do these two words mean? Living life the right way? Always doing what parents instruct? Some people walk through the motions of life and never fully understand what living is really about—it is more than paying bills, earning an education, and having a family. By definition, philosophy is: â€Å"a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chief ly speculative rather than observational means†.1 Humankind has studied philosophy for many years trying to figure outRead MorePlato s Philosophy And Philosophy1070 Words   |  5 PagesPlato, a Greek philosopher, was born around 423 to 428 BC, and died around 347 or 348 BC, at the age of eighty. He was a great philosopher, taught by Socrates. His dialogues have been used to teach many subjects, consisting of logic, ethics, rhetoric, religion, and mathematics, as well as philosophy. Plato was born between 429 and 423 BC, in either Athens or Aegina. At some point during his childhood, his father died, but the date is unknown. He was named Aristocles after his grandfather, but hisRead MorePlato s Philosophy And Philosophy1826 Words   |  8 Pages Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher, pupil of Socrates, mentor of Aristotle and founder of the Academy, most famous for his philosophical works that played a major role in laying the foundations of Western philosophy. Plato’s work is a source of inestimable value since Socrates did not leave any material record behind but some of his ideas were put down by his mentee, Plato. However, Plato added a handful of his own philosophy and it is a difficult challenge for historians to ascertain who theRead MorePlato s Teachings Of Philosophy1487 Words   |  6 Pages Plato was a well known philosopher who lived during the time of the distinguished Greek philosophers. He was born into a wealthy and very noble family in the Athens. In the midst of preparation for his life long career as a politician, the young Plato witnessed the trial and eventual execution of Socrates. Little did he or anyone know this would ultimately lead him to completely abandon his political career and become one of the world’s most distinguished philosophers. Although Plato’s teachingsRead MorePlato and Rawls: Justice in Philosophy652 Words   |  3 PagesJustice in philosophy is one of the most important political and moral concepts. The word justice comes from the Latin word jus, which means right or law. English Dictionaries defines it as one who typically does what is morally right as well as offering the word â€Å"fair† as a synonym. But philosophers get beyond etymology and what the dictionary definitions are and look deeper into it. F or example, the nature of justice is both a moral virtue of character and a quality needed for political societyRead MorePlato And Aristotle s Philosophy983 Words   |  4 PagesGreek philosophers such as, Plato and Aristotle, searched to answer one fundamental question, â€Å"How should a person live in order to achieve eudaimonia or happiness?† How each philosopher came about to reach this happiness is very different however. Plato looked to a world beyond the world one might experience today and Aristotle took a more observational approach to the things that can be experienced and observed. Plato was an influential philosopher in his time. He believed that the highest socialRead MoreA Society Based On The Philosophy Of Plato1326 Words   |  6 PagesAcademia: A Society Based On the Philosophy of Plato Plato, one of the most influential philosophers of western culture, was born in Athens of aristocratic parents, and as a young man witnessed the defeat of his city-state, by the Spartans in the Peloponnesian War. Around the age of twenty-one, Plato became a follower of Socrates who is best known as a questioner of everything and everyone. Plato studied the Socrates style of teaching, otherwise known as the Socratic Method, involved asking questionsRead MoreAristotle And Plato s Philosophy1688 Words   |  7 Pages) Professor Armstrong CC 5 October 2015 Aristotle and Plato are famous for their many works in the philosophical field. Specifically, the Republic by Plato and Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle seem to be their most popular works. In these works they discuss things that are needed to achieve the â€Å"good life† both on an individual level and on a societal level. There is some variance between what the two philosophers think can create the â€Å"good life.† They explore the concepts of eudaimonia, virtueRead MorePlato And His Influences On Plato s Philosophy1370 Words   |  6 PagesPlato and His Influences’ Plato and His Influences’ Plato was a philosopher of ancient Greek in Athens, Greece who was born in 427bce and die in 347, both of his parents are from Greek aristocracy. He is the founder of the Academy, the first institution in the Western world and best known for his works of unparalleled influence. Plato is considered to have laid the foundation of Western philosophy and science. He was a teacher of Aristotle, his mostRead MorePolitical Philosophy and Plato Essay9254 Words   |  38 Pages SOCRATES Socrates 469 BC–399 BC, was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Many would claim that Platos dialogues are the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity.