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PlatoDanSimakSeanValentineElaineCotterRachaelJensenHalieghDanekWhoisPlato?TeacherTeacherSocratesPlatoAristotlePlato’sBiography•Bornaroundtheyear428B.C.inAthens•Hisfatherdiedwhenhewasyoung•Plato’sbirthnamewasAristocles(nottobeconfusedwithAristotle)andhegainedthenickname“Platon”becauseofhisbroadbuild•Whenhewasyoung,hisbasisofstudywasmusicandpoetry•Platowasinthemilitaryservicefrom409B.C.to404B.C.andthenjoinedagroupcalledtheThirtyTyrants,butendedupleavingitbecauseoftheviolence•SocrateswasPlato’sdiscipleandPlatostartedtoadopthisphilosophy&styleofdebate.•AfterSocrates’deathin399B.C.,PlatoleftAthenswithsomefriendsandtraveledforthenext12yearswhilestudyinggeometry,geology,astronomy,andreligion.•Plato’sstudiesweredirectedtowardthequestionofvirtue&theformationofnoblecharacterPlatoBackInATHENS•WhenPlatoreturnedtoAthensin387B.C.,hestartedaschooloflearningcalledtheAcademy,whichwaseventuallydescribedasthe1stEuropeanUniversity•AttheAcademy,hetaughthissubjectsastronomy,biology,mathematics,politicaltheory,andphilosophy.Plato’sWorks•Hehad36dialogues(books)and13letters-“TheRepublic”•Givereadersasenseofphilosophyasalivingandunfinishedsubject,towhichtheywillneedtocontributetofinish•Modernscholarsdoubttheauthenticity•Afterwriting,hisworkswere“lost”untiltheRenaissance•Theyhavebeensteadilystudiedsince•Biginfluenceinmathandscience–Differencebetweenarithmeticandlogistic•“Hebelievedthatideaswerefarmorerealthanthenaturalworld.Headvisedthatastronomersnotwastetheirtimeobservingthestarsandplanets.Itwasbetterhebelieved,justtothinkaboutthem”-CarlSaganAllegoryoftheCave•Peoplelivedlifechainedfacingablankwallofacave.•Theycouldonlyseethemovingshadowsprojectedbythepeopleandfirebehindthem.•Thepeoplebegantothinkthisofwasreality.•Howeverphilosophersarepeoplefromthecavethatunderstandsthattheshadowsarebeingcastbyotherpeopleintrueform.•Fascinatedwiththeideaof“PerfectForm”WhatIfPlatoWeretoRunForPresidency?Plato&Politics•TheRepublic–VirtuesofJustice–Courage–WisdomandModeration(IndividualandSociety)•3PartSociety–Workers(producing)•The“appetite”ofthesoul–Warriors(protecting)•The“spirit”ofthesoul–Rulers(governing)•The“reason”ofthesoulPlato&PoliticsCont.Courageisnotmerelymilitarycouragebutprimarilyciviccourage:theabilitytopreservetheright,law-inspiredbelief,andstandindefenseofsuchvaluesasfriendshipandfreedomonwhichagoodsocietyisfounded.Plato&PoliticsCont.Plato’sGovernmentWouldHave:•MultipartySystem•PeriodicElections•ProfessionalCivilService(Union)Platobelievedthatthattherecouldbeabodyofknowledgewhoseattainmentwouldmakeitpossibletocompletelyhealpoliticalproblems.TheEndofPlato•Platodiedin347B.C.,leavingtheAcademy.•TheAcademyremainedamodelforinstitutionsofhigherlearninguntilEmperorJustiniancloseditPlatoandHisMarvelousBeard