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Wisdom of the Ages: Plato
Plato, a brilliant philosopher and educator in Ancient Greece, is best known for inventing the dialectical teaching (and writing) style, called the "dialogue." Posing questions to his students and carrying on a dialogue with them, Plato explores philosophical questions such as "What is piety?", "What is justice?" and "What is knowledge?"
Plato's mentor and teacher, the great philosopher Socrates, plays the central role in all of Plato's dialogues. Through a debate process, Socrates exposes ignorance in those he is questioning, which in Plato's and Socrates' minds is the source of all evil actions.
One hallmark of Plato's philosophy is self-reflection. He tells the story of how Socrates believed in this principle so strongly that when he fell out of favor with the Greek government, he accepted death by drinking hemlock, over a life where he could no longer seek truth.
In Socrates' own words as recorded by Plato in the Apology: "The unexamined life is not worth living to a human."
Plato's mentor and teacher, the great philosopher Socrates, plays the central role in all of Plato's dialogues. Through a debate process, Socrates exposes ignorance in those he is questioning, which in Plato's and Socrates' minds is the source of all evil actions.
One hallmark of Plato's philosophy is self-reflection. He tells the story of how Socrates believed in this principle so strongly that when he fell out of favor with the Greek government, he accepted death by drinking hemlock, over a life where he could no longer seek truth.
In Socrates' own words as recorded by Plato in the Apology: "The unexamined life is not worth living to a human."
