Plato, life and work, c. 429–347 bce
Plato, life and work, c. 429–347 bce
- Julia Annas
Summary
Accounts of Plato’s life are elusive. We cannot use Plato’s life to contextualize his ideas because we have no firm grasp on the life. This suits Plato’s intent in using the dialogue form, in which he never appears as a participant. Influenced by Socrates, Plato never presents philosophical positions on his own authority but presents them as resulting from arguments and as being put forward for further argument. For Plato, it is only by philosophical engagement with an idea of his that you can come to accept it—if you do—in the right way, a way that eventually gives you knowledge of it.
Subjects
- Philosophy
Updated in this version
Article updated to reflect current scholarship.
