Plato Biography
Plato was a philosopher who lived in ancient Greece, born in Athens around 428/427 BCE. He was a student of Socrates and a mentor of Aristotle, and his contributions to philosophy, ethics, politics, and metaphysics have had a significant impact on Western thought and culture. Plato was born into a prominent Athenian family, and his father, Ariston, was descended from the last king of Athens. His mother, Perictione, was related to the famous Athenian statesman Solon. As a young man, Plato was interested in politics, but after meeting Socrates, he became more interested in philosophy. Socrates had a profound impact on Plato's thinking, and after Socrates was sentenced to death by the Athenian government, Plato left Athens and traveled to Italy, Sicily, Egypt, and Cyrene to learn more about philosophy and to seek out other like-minded thinkers. Upon his return to Athens, Plato founded the Academy, which was the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. The Academy was...