Protagoras Free Audiobook Download

Author : Plato

Plato (c. 427 – 348 BC), originally named Aristocles, was a pivotal figure in ancient Greek philosophy and a defining voice of the Classical period. Renowned as the founder of the Platonic Academy in Athens, he significantly contributed to the development of Western philosophy through his innovative use of written dialogue and dialectic methods. His exploration of fundamental philosophical issues laid the groundwork for both theoretical and practical philosophy, notably articulated in his theory of forms, which sought to address the problem of universals. Influenced by pre-Socratic thinkers such as Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides, much of what we understand about these predecessors comes from Plato's writings. Alongside Socrates, his teacher, and Aristotle, his student, Plato remains a central figure in philosophical discourse. His extensive works have maintained their relevance for over 2,400 years, and his ideas continue to shape Christian and Islamic thought through Neoplatonism. Alfred North Whitehead famously remarked that the entirety of European philosophy is, in essence, a series of footnotes to Plato.