Philosophy Metaphysics Essay

Plato was a Greek philosopher who has written different articles and books on different subjects including poetry, politics, music, biology and zoology, physics and metaphysics and logical books. He was and is a very important figure on western culture philosophy. He was the first and founder of who created the comprehensive philosophical system on the above mentioned subjects. His complex views on practical sciences completely shaped and gave a direction to medieval scholars, their influence expanded far well into the culture although they were later replaced by modern physical science. According the study his work in biology was confirmed to be perfect and accurate as early as nineteenth century and contained the earliest known formal study with logics that were transformed to modern form of study. He was also a mathematician and the founder of Athens academy which was the first institution of higher learning in the western world. He was a Socrates student who was much influenced by his complex thinking. Plato’s sophisticated wrings can be witnessed by reading his Socrates articles. Though Plato was a lecture in his academy, none of his pedagogical dialogues is known with a proof. Bibliography Early life The Plato’s exact birth date is not known, but according to ancient sources estimates that he was born in Athens approximetry between 429 and 423 BC (Irwin,1995) He was a son to Ariston. Ariston traced his descent from the king of Athens, Codrus, and the king of Messenia, Melanthus. Plato’s mother was called Perictione, whose family had a undoubted relationship with the highest ranked and famous lawmaker of Athens and Solon the poet. Plato, Ariston and Perictione the sister to Chamides of the thirty tyrants had three other children; two sons, Adeimantus and Glaucon, and a daughter Potone. According to research conducted by ancient writers, his mother conceived through a virginal conception. Apollo the ancient Greek god appeared to Ariston in a vision, and this was a resulted why Ariston left Perictione unmolested. Another legend says that when Plato was sleeping as an infant, bees had settled on his lips a sign of the sweetness that would flow for he would discourse philosophy. Ariston believed to have died during the Plato’s early life, although the exact date of his death is hard to know. Plato used to introduce his distinguished relatives into his dialogues, or to mention them with some precision: (Richard, 1993) Naming Plato was formally known as Aristocles, he was named after his grand father, his wrestling coach, Ariston of Argos, nicknamed him â€Å"Platon†, which was to be his future name meaning â€Å"broad† on account of his robust figure. Plato derived this name from the breadth of his eloquence, or else because he was very wide across the forehead. (Eric, 2005) Socrates Plato made it clear in his apologies of Socrates that he was among the member of Socrates young devoted followers. In the dialogue, Socrates name Plato as one of the corrupt youths who are close to him if he was in deed guilty of corrupting the youth, he would question why his relatives did not step forward to testify against him if he really committed the crime. Plato was also fined together with Crito, Critobolus, and Apollodorus on behalf of death penalty against them. (Taylor,2001). The relationship between the Plato and the Socrates is full of problems, Aristotle tries to attributes a different doctrine with respect to the ideas of Plato and Socrates but Plato always use other people to speak in his dialogues. In another letter of Plato states that no letter of Plato will exist, this brings in a question of whether the letters believed are his are really his of from Socrates. The relationship between the Plato and Socrates is an area that that answers the scholars’ question. (Roy, 2001) The Metaphysics of the Phaedo This is Plato’s eulogy to Socrates. This recounts the last moments of Plato and his teacher. He emphasizes that we ought to care and there is a concrete need to care for our soul for this is to live in what he called philosophically. Plato tries to bring into contrast between the changing form of life and materials. Plato never gave deep description on whatever he wrote about this was referred to as Plato’s doctrine. Perhaps the scholars tend to think Plato’s way of expression on metaphysics is not complete for he does not emphasize much on the changing form and souls and metaphysics this tends to give scholars a task of trying to understand what are the set principles Plato’s tried to bring forward. Plato never gave a definition of anything though it could give a clear picture of what is in his mind (Mitchell,2004) Plato’s narration Plato, though in his narration, he never participated as a character. He never claims that he has ever heard anything to do with his narration at first place with an exception of Socrates apology. In so me of his dialogues, there is no narrator examples of these are, Meno, Gorgias, Phaedrus, Crito, Euthyphro in other dialogues, they have been narrated by Socrates where he speaks as a first person examples of this are Lysis, Charmides, Apology, Republic. Socrates narrates to anonymous person. Plato’s absence in his own dialogues and character is identified as his holding his actual view. The question of why Plato distanced himself from the author ship of his own dialogues is an issue that went against the tradition of Socrates. (Edward,2007). Late life of Plato Plato the philosopher traveled to various countries world wide which include. Cyrene, Egypt, Italy and Sicily. He returned to Athens at an age of about forty. According to history, he found a school which is believed to be one of the most organized by then in western culture on a piece of land in the Hecademus Grove. It was a big school on a piece of land owned by a citizen of Athens called Academus. The academy operated until its closedown at around AD 529 by Justinian I of Byzantium who found the academy as a threat to Christian propagation. Many intellectuals were educated at the academy including the Aristotle. Plato died at an age of 84 in Athens. (John, 1999). Conclusion Plato set a formula to be followed by modern scholars. His writings stand unique among other scholars for he never used himself as a character in his dialogues. Though not known why he used other people, he stands to be among the ancient greatest scholars. The establishment of the academy paved way forward for those who were ready to learn including the Aristotle. He is to be remembered as far formal education is concerned. Footnotes Plato was 84 years old at his death [37] The academy operated until its closedown at around AD 529[33] The Plato’s exact birth date is not known, but according to ancient sources estimates that he was born in Athens approximetry between 429 and 423 BC [36] He was also a mathematician and the founder of Athens academy [23] Crito, Critobolus, and Apollodorus on behalf of death penalty against them [46] Reference: Irwin, T (1995) Plato’s ethics, oxford university press, USA Richard, K. (1993) The Cambridge companion to Plato, Cambridge university press Eric, H. (2005) preface to Plato, Belknap press Roy, J. (2001) Plato. London, Holder and stroughton Mitchell, M. (2004). The Philosopher in Plato’s Statesman. Parmenides Publishing Edward, M. (2007). Plato. Philosophy Insights Series. Tirril, Humanities-Ebooks. Taylor, E. (2001). Plato: The Man and His Work, Dover Publications John, S. (1999). Chorology: On Beginning in Plato’s â€Å"Timaeus†. Indiana University Press.