Philosophers · Head-to-head
Socrates vs Plato
Yes — based on their recorded years, Socrates (c. 470–399 BCE) and Plato (c. 428–347 BCE) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
Socrates
An ancient Greek philosopher from Classical Athens, considered perhaps the first Western moral philosopher.
Key achievements
- Is considered perhaps the first Western moral philosopher
- Developed the question-and-answer method known as the Socratic dialogue
- Deeply influenced his student Plato, who founded the Western philosophical tradition
- Remains studied through the accounts of Plato and Xenophon
Fast fact
Socrates was sentenced to death in 399 BCE after being accused of impiety and corrupting the youth.
Full profile of Socrates →Plato
An ancient Greek philosopher of Classical Athens, most commonly considered the foundational thinker of Western philosophy.
Key achievements
- Founded the Academy, an influential philosophical school in Athens
- Wrote extensive philosophical dialogues that shaped Western thought
- Influenced all major areas of theoretical and practical philosophy
- Is considered the foundational thinker of the Western philosophical tradition
Fast fact
Plato was an innovator of the literary dialogue and dialectic forms of writing.
Full profile of Plato →Who lived first, Socrates or Plato?
Socrates (c. 470–399 BCE) lived first, before Plato (c. 428–347 BCE), based on their recorded years.
Were Socrates and Plato contemporaries?
Yes — based on their recorded years, Socrates (c. 470–399 BCE) and Plato (c. 428–347 BCE) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
What do Socrates and Plato have in common?
Both Socrates and Plato are grouped among our Philosophers figures and lived during the Ancient World.