Plato

Born 428/427 BC in Athens, Greece and died in 348/347BC, Plato is perhaps the most influential thinker in western history. Plato is perhaps best known for his enduring epistemic view point now commonly referred to as Platonic Rationalism (or just Rationalism). The premise of which being that knowledge is derived from rational/reasonable/logical thought, and that such knowledge is acquired through conscious reflection. Plato is often associated with psychology due to his use of the word psyche, which is translated to both soul and mind as he ascribes both mental and spiritual aspects. Plato describes the psyche as the immortal part of our existence, which persists beyond the physical form, as well as this property Plato also describes the psyche a the host of our cognitive faculties such as memory, and reason. Due to this line of thinking, Plato is often referred to the pioneer of mind/body duality, a theme which is revisited on many occasions throughout the history of both philosophy and psychology, and thanks to the much later René Descartes, has had a profound effect on how much of western tradition views the human condition. Plato's theory on the relationship between the mind and body, along with his epistemic standpoint, and insistence of the importance of reason have inspired countless generations of philosophers, psychologists, and thinkers alike, his contribution to western thought is almost unrivaled. So much so that in 1979 the Philosopher Alfred Whitehead went as far as to say that "The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato". Plato's tradition was carried on through his most famous student, Aristotle, who whilst continuing to progress Greek thought (and by virtue, western thought), managed to challenge Plato's theories at just about every possible intersection.