Definition

Proper noun: * A school of philosophy founded by Plato in ancient Athens: "Plato's Academy" refers specifically to the original philosophical institution established by Plato circa 387 BC in a grove sacred to the hero Academus, just outside the walls of Athens. It is considered the first institution of higher learning in the Western world.

Usage

• The term is used historically to refer to the physical location and the intellectual community Plato founded.
• It is used to distinguish Plato's original school from later philosophical schools or modern institutions that use the name "Academy."

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • Aristotle was a student at Plato's Academy for twenty years.
  • The teachings at Plato's Academy emphasized mathematics, dialectic, and the theory of Forms.
  • Historians study the influence of Plato's Academy on Western philosophical thought.

Advanced Usage

• "The Academy": When capitalized and used in a historical context, it often refers specifically to Plato's Academy.
  • Plato taught his students at the Academy.

Variants and Related Words

• Academic (adj): Pertaining to a school, college, or university, or to formal study and learning. Derived from the name of Plato's school.
  • She pursued an academic career.
• Academy (n): A place of study or training in a special field. The modern meaning derives from Plato's institution.
  • a military academy; the Academy of Sciences.

Synonyms

• The Platonic school: A term for the philosophical tradition and institution founded by Plato.

Noun

1. a school established by Plato in ancient Athens
   • Plato's Academy continued for several hundred years after Plato died