Plato

The school, founded by this antique philosopher, became an example of modern higher education. His contemporaries called him a divine teacher. In his writings refers to the ideal structure of the society and of the immortality of the soul. Ancient Greek philosopher Plato said that the time - it is a moving likeness of eternity.

Plato was born in 427 before our family Athenian aristocracy. Paternal their race to the kings depart the Arctic, and maternal, Plato was a descendant of the famous Athenian lawmaker Solon. At birth, the boy was named Aristocles. Junior Aristokl had powerful physique and broad shoulders, for which he was nicknamed the "width", in Greek "Platos" is a nickname, and has to be studied.

Plato received a traditional education, like all the aristocratic youth of that time. He wrote poems and tragedies, studied other philosophers of the past and had a conversation with his contemporaries, played music, painted. He was involved in gymnastics, horseback riding, arts and won on many events, with diversified and capable young man was very shy, and communication with peers preferred solitary activities. For twenty years he has been considered one of the most respected citizens of Athens. Ahead of him was a brilliant political career, but fate decreed otherwise.

In 407 BC, a young aristocrat, met with Socrates, the Athenian philosopher street. Socrates , ragged, barefoot old man, surrounded by a crowd of students and just onlookers, leading endless talk about the good, by our standards, was like a crazy city, but that it made a revolution in the mind of Plato. Penetrated ideas of Socrates, a noble young man, who predicted a brilliant career, was disappointed in the existing social and political ideals. Plato understood that society relies on them is doomed to destruction and salvation to seek a new path. In the year 399, the tragic death of Socrates, Plato makes to leave Athens. 12 years he spent in traveling to Greece and southern Italy, is involved in the Corinthian War. In Sicily, he is enslaved, but friends redeem Plato. He decides to return to Athens, where he founded the school of philosophy called later Academy. It became the most famous school in the entire ancient world, and lasted for about a thousand years, until in 529 it has not closed the Roman Emperor Justinian.

Plato's philosophy has changed the understanding of the ancient world. His idea of ​​the indivisibility of the early world and the immortality of the soul, became the prototype of the Christian religion. Plato compares the human soul with the chariot, which harnessed the white and black horses, noble and base in man. Auriga, which controls the chariot - is intelligence. When his charioteer can afflict the black knight (lowly beginning), the soul can rise to heights and become like gods. One of the central themes of the philosophy of Plato, detailed in other states, it's perfectly ordered society and the state.

Plato believed in the implementation and the practical implementation of their ideas. For this, in 61 years, Plato takes a trip to Sicily. Dionysius the tyrant of Syracuse, enthusiastic ideas of the philosopher, Plato invites for reform. Plato had hoped that he would be able to turn Syracuse into an ideal state, but drawn into court intrigues, he was soon forced to leave the city. Plato's disappointment was apparently too deep, five years later, he returns to Sicily and again takes the conversion attempt, but again without success. After this setback, Plato no longer leave their homes and manages the Academy of Athens almost to the end.

Philosopher died in 347 BC, leaving behind a legacy of great writing. Plato's works are written in dialogue form, overcoming time, they excite the minds of scientists. The most famous ancient Greek giving written by Plato - is the myth of Atlantis, the fertile, densely populated island with a highly developed civilization. As a result, an unknown cataclysm, possibly earthquakes, Atlantis suddenly went under water. This small episode described in Plato's dialogue "Critias" and today generates dozens of hypotheses.

Scientists argue about the place, time, and in general, of the existence of Atlantis. In 2004, Dr. Kuehne from the German University of Wuppertal, conducted an analysis of satellite images showing the mud swamps near the Spanish city of Cadiz. In the photo taken from space are the ruins of buildings, by location and size close to those described by Plato. German scientist suggested that Atlantis was not an island, and coastal lowland flooding destroyed between 500 and 800 BCE But most likely, the scientific world will never come to a consensus about Atlantis.

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who left the galaxy of students and an updated philosophy, saying, "Man, something like a toy invented by God, so that he may spend their lives playing the game of life," despite the fact that such a view, and contrary to what is called now.