Socrates & Plato
Classical Age 470 & 387 B.C.
Who was Socrates?
Socrates was a Greek philosopher born in 470 BC and died in 399 BC. He believed that Athens needed to be "explored" and went about questioning elite people as well as modern people. He did so to learn more of political and ethical truths. The process in which he questioned people was through a dialectal method known as the Socratic Method. This method was to question to a logical answer to the stated issue. He also challenged Greek conventional wisdom and for this he was executed.
Who was Plato?
Plato was also a Greek politician turned to philosopher who was born in 428 BC and died in 347 BC. He was destined for the politics of Greece for his family had extensive history of it. However, after the execution of his mentor, Socrates, Plato left politics and turned to philosophy of his friends and mentor. Also he wrote many "books" regarding a variety of things such as his mentor, his teachings and his own knowledge.
What was important about Socrates?
The most important thing about him was that he laid the roots to Western philosophy and his teaching method called pedagogy. In essence, Western philosophy is the Socratic Method. Which again, is to question to a logical answer to the stated issue. The way of teaching known as pedagogy has much similarity to the Method as well. This teaching is to question the student to where the correct answer will come out on its own. Socrates used this method on his students, Plato and Aristotle.
What was important about Plato?
Plato was important for two reasons; a founder and root setter. He was the founder of the Academy which was the first "university" of Greece. This higher intelligent school was located in Athens. He was a root setter because in actuality it wasn't only Socrates who set the roots for Western philosophy, but a trio; Socrates (Plato's teacher), Plato and Aristotle (Plato's student).