Who is Plato?
Plato was an Athenian philosopher born around 428 B.C. He is among the most influential figures in Ancient Greek history and Western thought; he is classified as INFJ for a lot of reasons that will be explained in this article.
Plato grew up during the Peloponnesian War and came of age around the time of Athens’ final defeat by Sparta. He came from noble Athenian lineage on both sides. His father, Ariston, died when he was young, and his mother, Perictione, remarried the politician Pyrilampes.
Plato’s Teacher
He was educated by distinguished Athenian teachers in philosophy, poetry, and gymnastics, including the philosopher Cratylus. The young Plato became a devoted follower of His teacher Socrates and was one of the youths Socrates was condemned for allegedly corrupting. And he conveyed and expanded on his ideas and techniques in his written dialogues.
Establishing the world’s FIRST university
Plato founded the Academy, which was considered by some as the world’s first university. Here, he trained his most extraordinary student, Aristotle, who was equally influential. Plato’s recurring fascination was the distinction between ideal forms and everyday experience and how it played out for individuals and societies.
Plato taught students from different parts of Greece, with many coming from outside Athens. In Plato’s “Republic,” there is a section on music that suggests a preference for the lyre over flutes in an ideal society.
The Republic
In his most famous work, the “Republic,” he envisioned a civilization governed by the pure wisdom of a philosopher-king instead of lowly appetites.
Plato’s early dialogues
were based on his recollections of Socrates’ lived-out philosophy and style of relentless questioning, the Socratic method.Plato’s “Apologia” and dialogues are indisputably the most accurate and reliable sources for understanding Socrates, the philosopher who didn’t pen any written works of his own.
His journey after After Socrates’ forced suicide:
Plato studied for twelve years with various philosophers in southern Italy, Sicily, and Egypt. During this time, he also studied with the students of the famous mystical mathematician Pythagoras, developing a particular interest in mathematics. Plato’s later exposure to Pythagorean philosophy had a fundamental influence on his theory of forms, which posits that the physical world we perceive is nothing more than a simple reflection of true reality. Furthermore, in his famous philosophical work Parmenides, two characters, namely Parmenides and Zeno of Elea, had a significant influence on Plato’s theory of forms. Plato’s philosophical abilities attracted the attention of the ruling family of Syracuse, with whom he maintained relationships throughout his life. The family asked Plato for advice on various matters, including reforming the city’s political system.
Plato’s end
Plato explores the soul of a nation and individual. He finds a three-part hierarchy between rulers, auxiliaries, and citizens and between reason, emotion, and desire. Plato’s late dialogues are explorations of specific topics. In the “Timaeus,” he explains a cosmology intertwined with geometry. In the “Laws,” he suggests that experience and history can inform the running of an ideal state.
Why is Plato classified as an INFJ?
Due to the many characteristics he exhibited associated with the INFJ personality type,and being one of the most famous infj characters. These traits include introversion, intuition, feeling, and judging:
Plato was introspective and preferred solitude over socializing with large groups, indicating his introversion.
He was a visionary thinker who focused more on abstract concepts and ideas than concrete facts, indicating his intuitive nature.
Plato was also a compassionate and empathetic person who cared deeply about others and wanted to improve the world, indicating his feelings nature.
Plato was an organized and structured person who liked to have a plan and see things through to completion, indicating his judging nature.
Lastly,
Plato had a clear vision of an ideal society, outlined in his work, The Republic. He had a deep understanding of human nature and the challenges of creating a just and harmonious world. Plato’s concern for the well-being of others and the betterment of society was evident in his belief that education was vital to creating a more just and harmonious world.He was a rigorous thinker who carefully considered the ethical and political implications of his ideas. Plato was also a skilled logician and debater. While Plato was aware of the importance of the physical world and its role in human experience, he was more interested in the abstract realm of ideas and concepts. Overall, Plato’s life and work strongly suggest that he possessed many critical characteristics of the INFJ personality type.
Some of Plato’s quotes:
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.”
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”
“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and everything.”
“The beginning is the most essential part of the work.
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
“Love is a serious mental disease.”
“When the mind is thinking, it is talking to itself.”
“Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.”
“The measure of a man is what he does with power.”
“Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil.”
“Science is nothing but perception.”
“Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another.”