Plato (427 BC-347 BC) was an immensely influential classical Greek philosopher, student of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, writer, and founder of the Academy in Athens. In countries speaking Arabic, Turkish or Persian, he is called Eflatun, which means a spring of water, and, metaphorically, of knowledge.
Plato lectured extensively at the Academy but he also wrote on many philosophical issues. The most important writings of Plato are his dialogues; although a handful of epigrams also survive, and some letters have come down to us under his name. All the known dialogues of Plato survive; some of the dialogues which the Greeks ascribed to him are considered by the consensus of scholars to be either suspect or probably spurious.
Socrates is often a character in the dialogues of Plato. It is usually disputed how much of the content and argument of any given dialogue is Socrates’ point of view, and how much of it Plato’s.
Plato was born in Athens, into a moderately well-to-do aristocratic family. His father was named Ariston and his mother Perictione. His family claimed descent from the ancient Athenian kings; and he was related (there is disagreement exactly how) to the prominent politician Critias. Plato’s own real name was ‘Aristocles’; however, his nickname, Plato, originated from wrestling. Since ‘Plato’ means broad, it probably refers either to his physical appearance or to his wrestling stance or style.
Plato became a pupil of Socrates in his youth, and at least according to his personal account he attended his master’s trial, though not his execution. Unlike Socrates, Plato wrote down his philosophical views and left a considerable number of manuscripts
He was deeply affected by the city’s treatment of Socrates and much of his early work records his memories of his teacher. It is suggested that much of his ethical writing is in pursuit of a society where similar injustices could not occur.
