Plato
"Plato is one of the founding fathers of philosophy and has had a massive impact on the history of western thought. He was probably born in Athens or the nearby island of Aegina. He was given the name Aristocles, but was called Plato, which means ‘broad’ or ‘flat’, a possible reference to his broad shoulders (he used to wrestle). Although there were a number of outstanding Greek philosophers before Plato, only fragments of their writings survive. However, we are fortunate to possess a great deal of Plato's work." (Great Thinkers A-Z, Credo Reference)
- Plato: Credo ReferenceA Credo Reference landing page on Plato. This page includes links to reference works, images, and a concept map.
Research and Reference
- Classical Political Philosophy: Plato and AristotleSystematic political thought in ancient Greece begins with Plato, and quickly reaches its zenith in the rich and complex discussions in Aristotle's Politics. The political theories of both philosophers are closely tied to their ethical theories, and their interest is in questions concerning constitutions or forms of government.
- Plato: Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyInformation on the life and philosophies of Plato from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Plato on PhilPapersPlato (ca. 427-347 B.C.E.) was an Athenian philosopher who is widely recognized among the most important philosophers of the Western world. Plato can be plausibly credited with the invention of philosophy as we understand it today – the rational, rigorous, and systematic study of fundamental questions concerning ethics, politics, psychology, theology, epistemology, and metaphysics. He wrote primarily in dialogue form. Among his most influential views are a commitment to the distinction between changeless, eternal forms and changeable, observable ordinary objects, the immortality of the soul, the distinction between knowledge and true belief and the view that knowledge is in some way recollection, that philosophers should be rulers and rulers philosophers, and that justice is in some way welcomed for its own sake. He was a follower of Socrates, significantly influenced Aristotle, the Stoics, the Academic skeptics, Plotinus, among others, and founded the Academy, perhaps the first institution of higher learning in the west.
Streaming Media
- PlatoThe dialogues of Plato are analyzed in this program by world-renowned author and professor Bryan Magee and Cambridge philosophy professor Myles Burnyeat. Seeing Plato’s ideas initially as extensions of those of his teacher, Socrates, Burnyeat explains the development and content of Plato’s original doctrines of knowledge as virtue, the immortality and tripartite division of the soul, and the theory of forms (ideas). Plato’s political philosophy is discussed within the context of the notion of the ideal state—a political utopia ruled by philosopher-kings. A BBC Production. Part of the series Great Philosophers.
- Plato's Republic - Man Writ LargeThis most famous of Plato's dialogues begins with the metaphor - or perhaps the reality - of the polis (community) as the expanded version of the person, with the fate of each inextricably bound to that of the other.
- Plato and AristotleThe goal of this lecture is to explain why Raphael's famous painting, "The School of Athens," has Plato pointing up and Aristotle pointing down, and why both are defending and extending the work of Socrates.
Perspectives
Plato
This is a completely new translation of one of the great works of Western political thought. In addition to Tom Griffith's vivid, dignified and accurate rendition of Plato's text, this edition is suitable for students at all levels. It contains an introduction that assesses the cultural background to the Republic, its place within political philosophy, and its general argument; succinct notes in the text; an analytical summary of content; a full glossary of proper names; a chronology of important events; and a guide to further reading.
A Companion to Plato's Republic
A step by step, passage by passage analysis of the complete Republic. White shows how the argument of the book is articulated, the important interconnections among its elements, and the coherent and carefully developed train of though which motivates its complex philosophical reasoning. In his extensive introduction, White describes Plato's aims, introduces the argument, and discusses the major philosophical and ethical theories embodied in the Republic. He then summarizes each of its ten books and provides substantial explanatory and interpretive notes.
Plato's "Republic"
Bringing between two covers the most influential and accessible articles on Plato's Republic, this collection illuminates what is widely held to be the most important work of Western philosophy and political theory. It will be valuable not only to philosophers, but to political theorists, historians, classicists, literary scholars, and interested general readers. Visit our website for sample chapters!
Ideas of Education: Philosophy and Politics from Plato to Dewey
There has always been a strong relationship between education and philosophy - especially political philosophy. Renewed concern about the importance and efficacy of political education has revived key questions about the connections between the power to govern, and the power to educate. Although these themes are not always prominent in commentaries, political writings have often been very deeply concerned with both educational theory and practice. This invaluable book will introduce the reader to key concepts and disputes surrounding educational themes in the history of political thought. The book draws together a fascinating range of educational pioneers and thinkers from the canon of philosophers and philosophical schools, from Plato and Aristotle, down to Edward Carpenter and John Dewey, with attention along the way paid to both individual authors like Thomas Hobbes and Mary Wollstonecraft, as well as to intellectual movements, such as the Scottish Enlightenment and the Utopian Socialists. Each thinker or group is positioned in their historical context, and each chapter addresses the structure of the theory and argument, considering both contemporaneous and current controversies. A number of themes run throughout the volume: an analysis of pedagogy, socialisation, schooling and university education, with particular relation to public and private life, and personal and political power references to the historical and intellectual context an overview of the current reception, understanding and interpretation of the thinker in question the educational legacy of the theories or theorists. This book will be of interest to students, researchers and scholars of education, as well as students and teachers of political theory, the history of political thought, and social and political philosophy.