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Isabella Gura
Professor Smith
Greek/Roman HUM-2220-15423
18 November 2016
Plato
Plato is one of the most famous and studied worldwide ancient Greek philosophers. He is
in the likes of Socrates and Aristotle whom were also ancient Greek philosophers and are often
compared to each other. Many of his ideas and teachings are still followed and discussed to this
day. He was the first philosopher who disagreed with the sophists, whom are considered the
earliest philosophers. He became the major turning point and stepping stone to Western
philosophy. Socrates is perhaps one of the most unique and interesting figures in human history
as well as one of the most important. Not only was the life of Socrates important, but his death
marked history as well.
Socrates’ lifetime began in 470 BC, in Athens, Greece and ended in 399 BC. He was well
educated beyond the norm of males in Athenian society. His philosophical journey began by
spending most of his days in the agora or the Athenian marketplace and asking his questions to
anyone who would speak to him (Ambury). This would eventually become one of the most
important teachings of Socrates – to question and “examine” everything
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. Wealthy and noble
Plato paid him attention as he watched Socrates debates with other influential nobles in the city
and quickly became probably his most dedicated follower and student who then went on to
become another one of the most influential ancient Greek philosophers following Socrates’
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One of Socrates most famous quotes goes, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
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death. He was also one of the main sources of the life and dialogues of Socrates. The other main
accounts of Socrates came from Aristophanes and Xenophon.
Socrates was described as someone who didn’t match the aesthetics of Athenian male
masculinity ideals.
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Money, power, the exterior body and social status were to not of importance,
Socrates believed, only the soul was important. Those who sought happiness through those
means would not attain true happiness. One of Socrates’ highest values was virtue and the
seeking of it. He believed that if one attained virtue, one was good and essentially happy. He
claimed that the reason for evil existing was human ignorance. These beliefs on happiness by
Socrates are very similar to the modern self-help teachings on attaining happiness. Socrates was
an important and major figure in history with undoubtedly a tremendous amount of influence as
