Plato (c. 428-347 B.C.E.)

The founder of one of the most enduring philosophical systems in history, as well as the co-founder of the Academy in Athens. He produced around twenty-five works, nearly all of which were written in the style of a dialogue between characters that stood for different viewpoints in Plato’s scheme of thought. He is most famous, and most vilified (by his critics), for his theory of forms. He taught that for every significant word such as ‘justice’, ‘man’ or ‘circle’, there is a corresponding, abstract idea of form. In this way his view, Platonism, is also seen as a kind of dualism. His works include The Republic, Phaedo and Timaeus.

Related Topics:

	Neoplatonism
	Philosophy

Contributed by: Richard P Whaite