The philosophical significance of Raphael's "School in Athens" is quite obvious to me. In the very center Plato and Aristotle are made to stand out more than anyone else in the painting. Raphael choose to put these two walking down the center carrying their respective famous works. Plato is pointing to the heavens while he carries theTimaeus, and Aristotle who is carrying the Ethics is pointing outwards in my opinion to the Earth. These two men are the main characters in ancient philosophy; they explained where we came from and the earth that surrounds us. .
The many people surrounding them could be followers of the two different thoughts each on their respective sides of Plato and Aristotle. I also believe that this painting is also a fantasy. Raphael was fantasizing about what the school must have been like. People all over the place involved in very deep dialogues about life, where we came from, and where we will end up. This painting was done during the Renaissance which was a time of looking back on ancient philosophy with almost wishful thinking. Raphael included himself in the painting and I think he did this because he wished he could be with these men in their discussions, and their thoughts. .
Other noted philosophers are included in the painting but are not as detailed or focused as Plato and Aristotle. They are; Socrates, Pythagoras, Euclid, Alcibiades, Diogenes, .
Ptolemy, Zoroaster. This was done to show that they did have some significance to ancient philosophy, but were not anywhere as important as the two greats, Plato and Aristotle. This painting in my opinion is a salute of reverence, recognition, and gratitude to the two men who were possibly the greatest thinker on Earth.