Many consider Plato as the most important philosopher who ever lived. He is known as the father of idealism. His ideas were elitist, with the philosopher king the ideal ruler.

• Apology is Plato's version of Socrates trial and Phaedo is his version of the death of Socrates.
• Plato introduced Atlantis in Timaeus and tells the story of Atlantis in Critias.
• Plato's Republic contains a treatise on education, with the parable of cave perhaps the best known to college students.