The Centre Cannot Hold » Plato http://thecentrecannothold.net Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 428 BCE – Plato is born http://thecentrecannothold.net/blog/428-bce-plato-born/ http://thecentrecannothold.net/blog/428-bce-plato-born/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 21:23:21 +0000 Loki http://thecentrecannothold.net/?p=3176 Oddly, not the Platonic Ideal of the philosopher (although in fairness, he would have been the first to point that out), Plato is one of the trio of great Greek philosophers who helped to define Western Philosophy and Science for millenia. The other two were his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle (who was himself [...]]]> Oddly, not the Platonic Ideal of the philosopher (although in fairness, he would have been the first to point that out), Plato is one of the trio of great Greek philosophers who helped to define Western Philosophy and Science for millenia. The other two were his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle (who was himself the teacher of Alexander the Great).

Plato was born in Athens (although the exact date is unknown – the one I have used here is traditional, but not necessarily correct) to a wealthy family, and given the best education money could buy. Even as a child, he was known for his quick mind. As a younger man, he travelled widely in search of knowledge, and returned to Athens at the age of forty to found the Academy, an institution that would last for nine centuries and train many philosophers, scientists and others from all over the ancient world.

He also left behind a considerable body of writing that helped to define the parameters of philosophy and science until virtually the Rennaisance. He also wrote on politics, art and religion. Often, his writings were in the form of Socratic Dialogues, in which Socrates would be the one who espoused the ideas that were actually Plato’s.

Referenced in:

Bruces’ Philosophers Song – Monty Python

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]]> http://thecentrecannothold.net/blog/428-bce-plato-born/feed/ 0 9564 BCE – Atlantis sinks http://thecentrecannothold.net/blog/9564-bce-atlantis-sinks/ http://thecentrecannothold.net/blog/9564-bce-atlantis-sinks/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:23:14 +0000 Loki http://thecentrecannothold.net/?p=1937 It’s Atlantis. Everyone knows the basics: an advanced civilisation on a large island or small continent in the Atlantic Ocean, sunk beneath the ocean in a single day.

The Atlantis story originated in two works by Plato, the Critias and the Timaeus. These tell the story of Atlantis – created by the sons of Poseidon, [...]]]> It’s Atlantis. Everyone knows the basics: an advanced civilisation on a large island or small continent in the Atlantic Ocean, sunk beneath the ocean in a single day.

The Atlantis story originated in two works by Plato, the Critias and the Timaeus. These tell the story of Atlantis – created by the sons of Poseidon, ruled the world as an economic superpower, and finally destroyed by the gods of Olympus for its hubris.

Of course, so far as anyone can tell, Atlantis never truly existed. It was a myth, a parable regarding the dangers of arrogance and pride.

Pity, really.

Referenced in:
Atlantis – Donovan
Atlantis Falling – Iron Savior
Atlantis to Interzone – Klaxons

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