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Plato

Philosopher

Plato was a foundational philosopher whose ideas have shaped Western thought for over two millennia. His teachings explore truth, justice, knowledge, and the nature of the human soul, offering guidance on both personal and societal growth. The following quotes capture Plato’s enduring wisdom and his profound reflections on life, virtue, and the pursuit of understanding.

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NOT YET RATED▼
For this feeling of wonder shows that you are a philosopher, since wonder is the only beginning of philosophy.
From Theaetetus
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.
Topic: Education, Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The greatest wealth is to live content with little.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
How could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?
From The Allegory of the Cave
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
In practice people who study philosophy too long become very odd birds, not to say thoroughly vicious; while even those who are the best of them are reduced by...[philosophy] to complete uselessness as members of society.
From Republic
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Socrates: This man, on one hand, believes that he knows something, while not knowing [anything]. On the other hand, I – equally ignorant – do not believe [that I know anything].
From Apology
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
We are twice armed if we fight with faith.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Education is teaching our children to desire the right things.
Topic: Inspirational
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Philosophy is the highest music.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The philosopher whose dealings are with divine order himself acquires the characteristics of order and divinity.
From The Republic
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
....I am inclined to think that these muscles and bones of mine would have gone off long ago to Megara or Boeotia—by the dog they would, if they had been moved only by their own idea of what was best.

(tr Jowett)
From Phaedo
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom.
Topic: Happiness
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
That's what education should be," I said, "the art of orientation. Educators should devise the simplest and most effective methods of turning minds around. It shouldn't be the art of implanting sight in the organ, but should proceed on the understanding that the organ already has the capacity, but is improperly aligned and isn't facing the right way.
From The Republic
Topic: Education
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Love is born into every human being; it calls back the halves of our original nature together; it tries to make one out of two and heal the wound of human nature.
From The Symposium
Topic: Love
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Love is a serious mental disease.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The soul of him who has education is whole and perfect and escapes the worst disease, but, if a man's education be neglected, he walks lamely through life and returns good for nothing to the world below.
Topic: Education
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
...and when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other's sight, as I may say, even for a moment...
From The Symposium
Topic: Love
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Ideas are the source of all things
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Piety, then, is that which is dear to the gods, and impiety is that which is not dear to them.
From Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Man - a being in search of meaning.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
For this feeling of wonder shows that you are a philosopher, since wonder is the only beginning of philosophy.
From Theaetetus
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.
Topic: Education, Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The greatest wealth is to live content with little.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
How could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?
From The Allegory of the Cave
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
In practice people who study philosophy too long become very odd birds, not to say thoroughly vicious; while even those who are the best of them are reduced by...[philosophy] to complete uselessness as members of society.
From Republic
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Socrates: This man, on one hand, believes that he knows something, while not knowing [anything]. On the other hand, I – equally ignorant – do not believe [that I know anything].
From Apology
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
We are twice armed if we fight with faith.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Education is teaching our children to desire the right things.
Topic: Inspirational
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Philosophy is the highest music.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The philosopher whose dealings are with divine order himself acquires the characteristics of order and divinity.
From The Republic
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
....I am inclined to think that these muscles and bones of mine would have gone off long ago to Megara or Boeotia—by the dog they would, if they had been moved only by their own idea of what was best.

(tr Jowett)
From Phaedo
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom.
Topic: Happiness
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
That's what education should be," I said, "the art of orientation. Educators should devise the simplest and most effective methods of turning minds around. It shouldn't be the art of implanting sight in the organ, but should proceed on the understanding that the organ already has the capacity, but is improperly aligned and isn't facing the right way.
From The Republic
Topic: Education
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Love is born into every human being; it calls back the halves of our original nature together; it tries to make one out of two and heal the wound of human nature.
From The Symposium
Topic: Love
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Love is a serious mental disease.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The soul of him who has education is whole and perfect and escapes the worst disease, but, if a man's education be neglected, he walks lamely through life and returns good for nothing to the world below.
Topic: Education
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
...and when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other's sight, as I may say, even for a moment...
From The Symposium
Topic: Love
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Ideas are the source of all things
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Piety, then, is that which is dear to the gods, and impiety is that which is not dear to them.
From Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Man - a being in search of meaning.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
For this feeling of wonder shows that you are a philosopher, since wonder is the only beginning of philosophy.
From Theaetetus
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.
Topic: Education, Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The greatest wealth is to live content with little.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
How could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?
From The Allegory of the Cave
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
In practice people who study philosophy too long become very odd birds, not to say thoroughly vicious; while even those who are the best of them are reduced by...[philosophy] to complete uselessness as members of society.
From Republic
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Socrates: This man, on one hand, believes that he knows something, while not knowing [anything]. On the other hand, I – equally ignorant – do not believe [that I know anything].
From Apology
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
We are twice armed if we fight with faith.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Education is teaching our children to desire the right things.
Topic: Inspirational
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Philosophy is the highest music.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The philosopher whose dealings are with divine order himself acquires the characteristics of order and divinity.
From The Republic
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
....I am inclined to think that these muscles and bones of mine would have gone off long ago to Megara or Boeotia—by the dog they would, if they had been moved only by their own idea of what was best.

(tr Jowett)
From Phaedo
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom.
Topic: Happiness
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
That's what education should be," I said, "the art of orientation. Educators should devise the simplest and most effective methods of turning minds around. It shouldn't be the art of implanting sight in the organ, but should proceed on the understanding that the organ already has the capacity, but is improperly aligned and isn't facing the right way.
From The Republic
Topic: Education
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Love is born into every human being; it calls back the halves of our original nature together; it tries to make one out of two and heal the wound of human nature.
From The Symposium
Topic: Love
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Love is a serious mental disease.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
The soul of him who has education is whole and perfect and escapes the worst disease, but, if a man's education be neglected, he walks lamely through life and returns good for nothing to the world below.
Topic: Education
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
...and when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other's sight, as I may say, even for a moment...
From The Symposium
Topic: Love
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Ideas are the source of all things
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Piety, then, is that which is dear to the gods, and impiety is that which is not dear to them.
From Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Man - a being in search of meaning.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
NOT YET RATED▼
Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.
Topic: Philosophical
Plato
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