Plato: Life, Philosophy, and Influence on Western Culture
Plato: Life and Philosophical Journey
Plato was born in Athens in the 5th century BC. His life was profoundly influenced by his relationship with his teacher, Socrates. Socrates’ death, a conviction in which Plato’s uncles Charmides and Critias were involved, at the hands of democracy significantly impacted Plato’s rejection of it. Politically, his work aimed to develop an ideal model of society, an aristocracy, to avoid the perceived evils of democracy and other political systems, which he considered politically sick with injustice. This is articulated in The Republic, and his proposal is recognized as the first utopia in history. However, his three attempts to implement it in Sicily proved ineffective, leading him to believe that if it was impossible to have philosophers govern, then rulers should become philosophers.
In Athens, he founded his own school, the Academy. It is said that the doors bore a warning: “Let no one ignorant of geometry enter here,” signifying it as a temple of knowledge, reserved for the wise. Aristotle was the most outstanding pupil of this school.
In addition to his studies and political interests, his significant contributions include his Theory of Ideas, the defense of the immortality of the soul, his theory of knowledge, his upholding of ethical values, and his theory of love, among others.
The importance of his thought is revealed as key to understanding the patterns of Western culture. Much of this influence can be attributed to the Catholic Church, which used his philosophy as a framework for its own doctrines.
In his work, his teacher often appears as a character through whom he reveals his own doctrine. Since Socrates did not write anything, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the teacher’s and the pupil’s ideas, especially initially, before Plato evolved his own distinct approaches.
Plato’s Literary Works: A Chronological Overview
He was a prolific writer. His works are usually classified into the following periods:
- Socratic Period: Reflects the thought and personality of Socrates. This period includes:
- Apology (Socrates’ defense at his trial)
- Crito (Socrates as the good citizen who, despite the injustice of his conviction, chooses to give his life in obedience to the laws of the state)
- Euthyphro (Socrates awaits trial for impiety; the dialogue’s theme is the nature of piety)
- Laches (on courage)
- Ion (against poets and minstrels)
- Protagoras (virtue is knowledge and can be taught)
- Charmides (on temperance)
- Lysis (on friendship)
- Transitional Period: Plato’s own thinking matures, reflecting a pessimistic view of humanity. He discusses beauty and uses myths as explanations. Orphic-Pythagorean influences emerge, he criticizes the Sophists, and begins developing his theories about knowledge. Works from this period include:
- Gorgias (confrontation with Sophists to examine politics)
- Meno (the truth is inside each person)
- Euthydemus (against the false ideas of the later Sophists)
- Hippias Major (on beauty)
- Hippias Minor (on whether evil is done deliberately or inadvertently)
- Cratylus (on language)
- Menexenus (parody of Sophistic rhetoric)
- Mature Period: Plato is now fully in command of his own ideas. He develops the famous Theory of Ideas, his epistemology (theory of knowledge), his organization of government, and dialectics. Key works include:
- Phaedo (the theme of immortality against the backdrop of Socrates’ death)
- Symposium (the theme of love)
- Phaedrus (illustrates the tripartite division of the soul with the myth of the winged chariot)
- Republic (statement of his political theory, the Theory of Ideas, and the tripartite nature of the soul)
- Late Period: Plato reviews, corrects, or explains some of his earlier theories. Works from this period include:
- Theaetetus (knowledge is sense perception or true judgment)
- Parmenides (defending the Theory of Ideas against criticism)
- Sophist (further consideration of the Theory of Ideas)
- Statesman (the true leader is one who knows)
- Philebus (the relationship between pleasure and good)
- Timaeus (cosmological theory; the Demiurge appears)
- Critias (the ideal agricultural state contrasted with imperial sea power, “Atlantis”)
- Laws and Epinomis (Plato makes concessions to real life, modifying his utopian Republic)
- Letters (autobiographical)
Plato’s Death and Enduring Legacy
He died at the age of 80, in 347 BC. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most lucid philosophers of all time. His philosophy is fundamental to understanding Western culture.