Investigating Atlantis and Other Lost Cities

Investigating Atlantis and Other Lost Cities — page 5
INVESTIGATING ATLANTIS AND OTHER LOST CITIES larger than Libya and Asia put together This was the island of Atlantis Critias added that Atlantis had rule over the whole island and several others and over parts of the continent The men of Atlantis had subjected the parts of Libya within the Pillars of Heracles an ancient name for the Strait of Gibraltarſ as tar as Egypt and of Europe as tar as Tyrrhenia PLATO PHILOSOPHER AND THINKER Plato's ideas and writings on philosophy science and math helped lay the foundations of Western civilization Plato wrote many dialogues stories in which characters explore moral or philosophical issues through conversa tion It was a format invented by his teacher and mentor Socrates Along with Plato's student Aristotle the three are considered the greatest Western thinkers of their era Plato opened a school the Academy at Athens in about 387 BCE to provide lessons in philosophy law and scientific research primarily mathematics Plato grew up during the decades of conflict with Sparta and other city states This conflict coupled with the forced suicide of his teacher Socrates for political reasons in 399 BCE is believed to have influenced some of his dialogues includ ing the ones involving Atlantis