Plato learned from Socrates before his death
Plato's mentorship under Socrates, who was executed in 399 BCE, profoundly shaped Western philosophy, bridging oral tradition with written works and founding the first institution of higher learning.
Plato, one of history's greatest philosophers, became a student of Socrates in his early twenties. This direct mentorship was pivotal because Socrates, who never wrote anything down, taught Plato ethical inquiry and the Socratic method of questioning to uncover truth. Much of what we know about Socrates' ideas comes from Plato's writings, like the Apology and Phaedo, which dramatize Socrates' life and trial.
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