Plato

Plato's greatest accolade is the enduring influence of his thought. His Theory of Forms shaped Christian theology through Augustine, Islamic philosophy through Al-Farabi and Avicenna, and Renaissance humanism. The Academy he founded operated for nearly 900 years. Alfred North Whitehead's remark that European philosophy consists of "a series of footnotes to Plato" captures his singular importance. His works are among the most studied in the Western canon, with new translations and commentaries published every year. In academic surveys, Plato consistently ranks as one of the two or three most important philosophers in history.