Plato (c. 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher and one of the most influential figures in the history of Western philosophy. He founded the Academy in Athens, one of the earliest institutions of higher learning in the Western world.

Plato’s works remain significant in the study of philosophy, and his ideas have left a lasting mark on fields such as ethics, politics, and metaphysics. His dialogues, in particular, offer valuable insights into the methods and ideas of Socrates and continue to be widely read and studied by philosophers and scholars to this day.