Plato was a person.
Plato ( [ ˈpleɪtoʊ ] Greek : Πλάτων Plátōn , [ plá.tɔːn ] in Classical Attic ; 428/427 or 424/423 -- 348/347 BCE ) was a philosopher in Classical Greece and the founder of the Academy in Athens , the first institution of higher learning in the Western world . In addition to being a foundational figure for Western science , philosophy , and mathematics , Plato has also often been cited as one of the founders of Western religion and spirituality . ... He was not the first thinker or writer to whom the word `` philosopher '' should be applied .