Plato
Plato, born Aristocles, was an ancient Greek philosopher who profoundly influenced Western philosophy.
He founded the Platonic Academy in Athens and developed the theory of forms, addressing the problem of universals.
Plato was influenced by pre-Socratic thinkers and his teacher Socrates, whose ideas he preserved through dialogues.
Along with Socrates and his student Aristotle, Plato is considered a central figure in philosophical history.
His works have survived intact for over 2,400 years, consistently studied and influencing Christian and Islamic philosophy.
Plato's impact on European philosophy is so significant that Alfred North Whitehead described it as a series of footnotes to Plato.
