[[Image:Raphael.jpg|right|thumb|Raphael's depiction of Plato in '''The School of Athens'''.]]
'''Plato''' was a great [[Greek philosopher]] who lived from 428 to 347 BC. His family name was Aristocles. He was a friend of [[Socrates]] and founded the Academy, a school bereft of buildings wherein whre Plato taught his philosophy, which entailed many separate disciplines. His teachings greatly influenced [[Diogenes]]==Influence==Plato is one of the half-dozen most influential philosophers in world history, and his work is studied today in every philosophy department. His Plato's most famous work is [[The Republic (Philosophy)|''The Republic'']]. One of Plato's pupils was [[Aristotle]], whose works greatly influenced Aquinas, and much of the [[Magisterium]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]an equally impotant philosopher with a very diffeent philosophy.
Although Plato cannot be described as a theist, he influenced the Greek '''neo-Platonism ''' from the second and third centuries B.C. was , which did have a major influence on early Christian teachings.==Style==
Plato's works are different from the majority of philosophical works in style and structure. He wrote dialogs which combined elements of both Greek tragedy and philosophy. His works are conversational dramas filled with irony and 'hidden' content which only the experienced reader will recognize and understand. And he did not write explicit treatises, instead slowly and indirectly revealing his ideas over the course of dozens of dialogues written across the course of his life through the words of his character.
*[http://www.relativitycalculator.com/plato_cave.shtml The Challenge of Plato's Cave]
[[Category:Ancient Greek Philosophers]]
[[Category:Philosophers]]