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."
Диалоги Платона, по сути, это монологи Сократа, состоящие из вопросов, которыми тот атакует учеников или конкурентов, причем ни те, и ни другие не находят в себе сил или умения возразить что-нибудь и на все отвечают "Да, конечно". Таким образом Сократ ведет свою мысль, куда хочет, не встречая ни малейшего возражения. Единственный раз за всю книгу ученики усомнились в верности того, что говорит Сократ, когда перед смертью он стал убеждать их в бессмертии души, но и тут Сократ быстро поставил их на место. В книге на меня произвели впечатление не философские выкладки Сократа, в них я не нашла чего-то интересного или полезного для себя, а весь его образ, образ человека мощного, рассудочного и харизматичного. Его речи на суде, в которых он ни на секунду не уступил себе и его поведение перед смертью вызывают уважение.