The History of the Great Philosopher Plato
Aristocles was born in 427 B.C.E. in Athens, Greece. Aristocles is said to be Plato’s birth given name, however, his nickname was Plato. Plato was the youngest son of Ariston and Perictione. In Plato’s youth he lost his father and his mother re-married Pyrilampes. It was under his stepfather’s house that he was raised.
Plato studied under the teachings of Cratylus, who was a student of Heradeitus. He was famous for cosmology, which is based on fire being the basic material in the universe. Plato became friends with Socrates because his uncle Charmides happened to be a great friend of the philosopher. Socrates began teaching Plato, which opened up the door to his passion in politics.
The Peloponnesian War was fought between Athens and Sparta between 431 B.C.E. and 404 B.C.E. Plato was also a heroic figure in history that seved with the military from 409 B.C.E.-404 B.C.E. He began to have a strong passion for politics instead of the military once he began learning form the Socrates. At the end of the war Plato terminated his position in the military and became a member of the Thirty Tyrants in Athens. This organization was set up in 404 B.C.E. and Charmides was one of the leaders. The violent acts of the Thirty Tyrants forced Plato to resign. He so much wanted to be in politics; however, he did not want to enter the political system in Athens, especially after the execution of Socrates in 399 B.C.E. This had a serious effect on Plato and he decided not to have any further participation in politics in Athens.
He began to travel to Egypt, Sicily, and Italy. Egypt had a great effect on Plato. He learned of the water clock, which he later introduced to Greece. Italy was the place where he learned of the work in Pyhagoras, this is where he began to appreciate mathematics. This formed one of his ideas “âÂ?¦that the reality which scientific thought is seeking must be expressible in mathematical terms, mathematics being the most precise and definite kind of thinking of which we are capable. The significance of this idea for the development of science from the first beginnings to the present day had been immense.”
Plato was later recognized for his bravery in battle since he served so many years in the military. Around 387 B.C.E., after his return to Athens, Plato founded a school of learning, called the Academy. The Academy was devoted to research and instruction in philosophy and the sciences. Outside of the door of the Academy the words rea “Let no one unversed in geometry enter here.” Plato served with the school from 387 B.C.E. until his death in 347 B.C.E. His focus was to train young men to become statesmen. He believed that these men would improve the political leadership of the cities in Greece. This was his goal since he was so disappointed in how the current political system was being run.
At a later date, Plato was sent to Syracuse in 367 B.C.E. to train Dionysus II after the death of Dionysus I. Dion, the brother-in-law of Dionysus I, believed that if Plato trained Dionysus II, the new ruler, in science and philosophy, he would be able to prevent Carthage from invading Sicily. However, this plan did not work; as Plato had predicted, because Dionysus II became jealous of Dion, so he forced him out of Syracuse. Dion attacked Syracuse in 357 B.C.E. and he gained control, however, he was murdered three years later.
Plato contributed to the theory of art, in particular dance, music, poetry, architecture and drama. He discussed topics in ethics, metaphysics, immortality, man, mind and realism. He considered mathematical forms as perfect forms. For example, lines are perfect shapes. He concentrated on the idea of proof and insisted on accurate definitions and a clear hypothesis. This is what laid the foundation for Euclid’s systematic approach to mathematics. The friends and pupils of Plato created all of the most important mathematical work of the 4th century. Platonic Solids were named after Plato because of his great contributions to the sciences. He believed that everything in the universe was centered around the earth.
Plato was one of the greatest teachers in history. His theories helped pave the way that we learn mathematics in our society today. He served with his country for many years and he was recognized for his bravery in the military. His ideologies started the thinking of great minds and questioned their ability to achieve goals higher than ever before.
