Plato (Greek: Πλάτων), born Aristocles (c. 427 – 348 BC), was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms. He raised problems for what became all the major areas of both theoretical philosophy and practical philosophy, and was the founder of the Platonic Academy, a philosophical school in Athens where Plato taught the doctrines that would later become known as Platonism. Plato's most famous contribution is the theory of forms (or ideas), which has been interpreted as advancing a solution to what is now known as the problem of universals. He was decisively influenced by the pre-Socratic thinkers Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides, although much of what is known about them is derived from Plato himself. Along with his teacher Socrates, and Aristotle, his student, Plato is a central figure in the history of philosophy. Plato's entire body of work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years—unlike that of nearly all of his contemporaries. Although their popularity has fluctuated, they have consistently been read and studied through the ages. Through Neoplatonism, he also greatly influenced both Christian and Islamic philosophy. In modern times, Alfred North Whitehead famously said: "the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato."
Mi diálogo favorito es el de "BANQUETE", el cual analiza el concepto del amor desde distintas posturas. Durante el proceso de estudiar filosofía, uno se da cuenta de que la afirmación de Whitehead, sobre la obra de Platón, es muy acertada, sin que rayemos en el fanatismo. "Toda la filosofía occidental es una serie de notas a pie de página de las obras de Platón" (A.N. Whitehead). Es llevadero leerlo, su estilo de diálogo hace entretenida la lectura considerando el lenguaje de la época en la que fueron escritos.
El amor es considerado una manifestación de sabiduría en la obra de Platón con diálogos que abordan temas esenciales como amistad, virtud y justicia. A través de Platón, Sócrates defiende sin disculpas su búsqueda de la virtud, convirtiéndose en un oráculo que invita a la reflexión y al cuestionamiento.
Sin el no se puede empezar, pero siempre hay que leerlo sabiendo cuando se escribió. Todas las preguntas estan ahí, nuestras preguntas, las dudas, las sospechas. Parece un índice general de la filosofía (no el único índice)(derrida decía que hacer filosofía era mandar postales, cartas de amor, a Platón). Las reflexiones no pierden su brillo. Se le puede leer de una manera o de otra. Las revisiones en clave política nos pueden llevar a lugares oscuros que desgraciadamente conocemos muy bien.