PLATO is one of the key figures in Western and world philosophy.

ACADEMIA: He is also the founder of the Western academic tradition, via his school The Academy, founded in the grove of the hero Academus on the outskirts of Athens.

INFLUENCE: Plato's works gave prominence to dialectic reasoning and gave rise to Platonic idealism. His ideas provided the basis of both the rationalist and empiricist traditions.

LIFE: Plato was born in Athens around 428 B.C.E., living until 347 B.C.E. Both his parents were of noble Athenian lineage.

TEACHER: Plato was a devoted student of Socrates, and transcribed the thoughts and ideas of his teacher in his works.

STUDY: Plato also studied with Cratylus, Theodorus of Cyrene, Archytas of Tarentum, and Echecrates of Philus. His ideas were also shaped by Zeno of Elea and Parmenides.

THE ACADEMY, the school he founded in Athens around 387 B.C.E., provided an early blueprint for the university tradition. There, he taught his most famous student, Aristotle.

RENAISSANCE: Plato was one of the key influences on the Renaissance era of Western thought, at which time he was rediscovered and widely studied.

ELITISM: Plato was elitist in his ideas, and believed countries would be best ruled by 'philosopher kings', who would be ideally suited to rule due to their superior level of insight. These ideas are expressed in The Republic.

LEGACY: While not without controversy, Plato's influence on world thought is great, as is the legacy of the academic tradition he founded. His written works are studied and celebrated to this day.