Plato was born around 427 BCE in Athens, Greece, into a wealthy and influential family with political connections.¹⁾

Plato was born into an aristocratic family in Athens, around 427-428 BCE.²⁾

Plato was a devoted student of Socrates, whose teachings deeply influenced his philosophy.³⁾

Plato was critical of Athenian democracy, which he believed led to the execution of Socrates.⁴⁾

Plato founded the Academy in Athens around 387 BCE, one of the first institutions of higher learning in the Western world.⁵⁾

His most famous work, “The Republic,” outlines his vision of an ideal society governed by philosopher-kings.⁶⁾

Plato is known for his Theory of Forms, which posits that the material world is a shadow of a higher, unchanging reality.⁷⁾

Plato emphasized mathematics in his teachings, believing it led to philosophical truth. The Academy’s entrance supposedly bore the inscription: “Let no one ignorant of geometry enter here.”⁸⁾

Plato wrote his philosophical ideas in dialogue form, often featuring Socrates as a character.⁹⁾

This famous metaphor, found in “The Republic,” illustrates Plato's view on human perception and the journey toward knowledge.¹⁰⁾

Plato is often considered the founder of idealism in philosophy, which asserts that reality is fundamentally mental or immaterial.¹¹⁾

He proposed a dualistic view of reality, dividing existence into the physical world and the world of Forms.¹²⁾

Plato is the earliest known source of the Atlantis myth, which he mentioned in his dialogues “Timaeus” and “Critias.”¹³⁾

Plato’s ideas, especially his concept of an eternal soul, significantly influenced early Christian thought.¹⁴⁾

In “The Republic,” Plato describes the Myth of Er, a story about the afterlife that discusses justice and the fate of the soul.¹⁵⁾

Plato believed the soul had three parts: the rational, the spirited, and the appetitive.¹⁶⁾

In the dialogue “Euthyphro,” Plato presents a dilemma about whether something is good because the gods will it or whether the gods will it because it is good.¹⁷⁾

Plato’s ideal rulers, philosopher-kings, are those who possess wisdom and love knowledge above all else.¹⁸⁾

In “The Symposium,” Plato explores the nature of love through a series of speeches given by different characters.¹⁹⁾

Another of Plato’s dialogues, “Phaedrus,” discusses the nature of the soul and the concept of divine madness.²⁰⁾

In “The Republic,” Plato famously criticizes poets, particularly Homer, for presenting misleading images of the gods and heroes.²¹⁾

This dialogue is a defense of Socrates, presenting the speech he made at his trial.²²⁾

Plato believed that true knowledge is recollection, as discussed in the “Meno” and “Phaedo.”²³⁾

In “The Republic,” Plato argues that justice is a harmonious relationship between the three parts of the soul.²⁴⁾

The Academy lasted for over 900 years, influencing countless philosophers, including Aristotle, who was Plato’s student.²⁵⁾

Plato’s political ideas laid the foundation for Western political theory, particularly his belief in a hierarchical society.²⁶⁾

The term “Platonic love” originates from Plato’s writings, particularly “The Symposium,” and refers to a deep but non-sexual affection between people.²⁷⁾

In the “Gorgias,” Plato criticizes rhetoric as a form of flattery rather than a true art.²⁸⁾

While their authenticity is debated, a collection of letters attributed to Plato provides insights into his life and thoughts.²⁹⁾

Plato’s ideas were revived and expanded upon by Neoplatonists like Plotinus in the 3rd century CE.³⁰⁾

While Aristotle diverged from Plato in many ways, his early education at the Academy shaped his own philosophical pursuits.³¹⁾

In “The Republic,” Plato introduces a noble lie about the origin of citizens’ souls to maintain social harmony.³²⁾

Plato believed that learning is the recollection of knowledge the soul had before birth.³³⁾

His belief in educating rulers and citizens alike laid early foundations for the concept of liberal arts education.³⁴⁾

His theory of Forms has led to the philosophical position known as Platonic realism, which posits that universals exist independently of the physical world.³⁵⁾

Some of Plato’s dialogues, like the “Critias,” remain unfinished.³⁶⁾

Plato discussed five regular polyhedra in “Timaeus,” which are now known as the Platonic solids.³⁷⁾

Plato is believed to have died around 348-347 BCE, possibly in his early 80s.³⁸⁾

Plato’s works were highly influential in the Islamic Golden Age, especially through the writings of philosophers like Al-Farabi and Avicenna.³⁹⁾

His dualistic view influenced René Descartes, who also separated mind and body in his philosophy.⁴⁰⁾

Despite being one of the most influential philosophers, Socrates left no writings; most of what we know about him comes from Plato.⁴¹⁾

In “The Republic,” Plato uses the parable of a ship to illustrate his ideas about leadership and the philosopher-king.⁴²⁾

His use of dialogues allowed him to explore different perspectives and ideas without committing to a single viewpoint.⁴³⁾

St. Augustine, one of the most important Christian theologians, was deeply influenced by Platonic thought, particularly its emphasis on the immaterial.⁴⁴⁾

Plato's ideal state was highly structured, with citizens divided into classes based on their abilities and the needs of society.⁴⁵⁾