Brief History of Philosophy
Brief History of Philosophy
Brief History of Philosophy
Epochs
Mythology
Natural Philosophers/Pre-Socratics
Medieval Age
Renaissance
The Scientific Revolution
Baroque
The Enlightenment
Romanticism
People
Moses
Thales of Miletus
Siddhārtha Gautama
Heraclitus
Parmenides
Empedocles
Socrates
Democritus
Plato
Diogenes of Sinope
Aristotle
Zeno of Citium
Jesus of Nazareth
Plotinus
Augustine of Hippo
Thomas Aquinas
Nicolaus Copernicus
Sir Francis Bacon
Galileo Galilei
Thomas Hobbes
Descartes
John Locke
Isaac Newton
George Berkeley
Voltaire
David Hume
Immanuel Kant
Karl Marx
Sigmund Freud
Natural Philosophers/Pre-Socratics These early philosophers helped to transition from unchecked mythology
600 bc - 370 bc to critical thought emphasizing reason.
Big Three Greek Philosophers The most important philosophers of the ancient world came from this short
430 bc - 322 bc time period in Athens.
Hellenism A period of time marked be the decline of Greek culture and a fusion of
323 bc - 420 ad the cultures/beliefs of a multitude of kingdoms.
Medieval Age A time period marked by the emphasis on Christian theology and some
400 ad - 1400 ad remaining/selected Greek philosophy/thought.
Renaissance The years following the Medieval age, known as a "rebirth" of many of the
1400 ad - 1600 ad cultural influences of the Hellenistic age. A time of rapid cultural, religious,
political evolution.
The Scientific Revolution The period of time where the intellectual emphasis on rationalism
1543 - 1727 transfers to empiricism. Discoveries are made primarily through the sense
and induction.
Baroque A period of time developed after the Renaissance known for a unique
1600 - 1725 development of the arts.
The Enlightenment
1650 - 1789
Romanticism
1770 - 1848
People
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Moses The cultural father of the Jewish people (and ultimately Christian and
1391 bc - 1271 bc Muslim). His writings stand as the basis for Jewish culture, history and
spirituality - comprised as the Torah.
Thales of Miletus Studied the earth and it's processes. He asked: "What is the basic
624 bc - 546 bc substance of the cosmos?" He reasoned: "It must be a few things:
essential to life, capable of motion, and capable of change." He thus
concluded water was the basic element.
Siddhārtha Gautama Also known as the Buddha, Siddhārtha offered enlightenment by freeing
563 bc - 483 bc oneself from the desire which will ultimately leads to suffering. The
Buddha also uniquely challenged authority in demanding the fallibility of
scriptures. Truth was determined by experience and praise from the wise -
which was a step away from mythology.
Heraclitus Heraclitus trusted his senses and used reason to explain why things
535 bc - 475 bc change when they come from a common root. He determined that
"everything flows" or is in a constant state of change.
Parmenides Parmenides realized that his reason can come in conflict with his senses.
515 bc - 445 bc He was the earliest to choose his reason over the senses. Thus he
determines that they world is not in change - our sense are deceiving.
Plato Plato was the greatest philosopher-student of Socrates. His impact was
427 bc - 347 bc vast and was one of the main authors of Socrates' ideas. He started the
greatest school of philosophy in Athens, the Academy. In addition to his
scholastic contributions, he answered the question of what is temporal
and what is eternal. To Plato, all material is finite and thus "flows" or
changes (i.e. dies, decomposes, etc). What we sense then "flows". He
determined that material things must come from "something" that reminds
material to compose in one way and not another (e.g. a horse and not a
crocodile). This "something" must be eternal and Plato called it the form.
Thus, a pine cone is finite/temporary while the concept of the circle that it
mimics is eternal. We sense such concepts with our reason, making
reason eternal. The eternal was more important to Plato than the things
that "flow" or change. Reason is how we access the eternal. Thus, reason
is more important sense perception - this belief is the core of "rationalism".
Plato's legacy was continued by the advancements of his student,
Aristotle.
Diogenes of Sinope Diogenes is probably the most apparent example of Cynic philosophy.
404 bc - 323 bc Stories recall that Diogenes lived in a ceramic bin on the side of the road
with very few material possessions. Cynics held that happiness is not
found in power, materials or wealth. This stance caused cynics to become
calloused to the pains and pleasures of life. It was Diogenes who was
offered anything he desired from Alexander the Great, he replied with the
request the Alexander steps to the right so the sun would shine on him.
Aristotle
384 bc - 322 bc
Alexander the Great The Macedonian king and student of Aristotle known for expanding the
356 bc - 323 bc Greek kingdom to it's greatest reach. His death signals the beginning of
Hellenism.
Zeno of Citium
332 bc - 265 bc
Jesus of Nazareth Jewish teacher who claimed deity. Transformed the Jewish belief in a king
5 bc - 33 ad that would restore the Jewish state into a distinctly spiritual message.
Political restoration or salvation was exchanged for a spiritual restoration.
The teaching of Jesus would be combined with a set of Greek
philosophers to develop Christian theology in the Medieval years and
beyond.
Plotinus
205 ad - 270 ad
Augustine of Hippo
354 ad - 430 ad
Muhammad
570 ad - 632 ad
Averroes
1126 ad - 1198 ad
Thomas Aquinas
1225 ad - 1274 ad
Nicolaus Copernicus Developed the most advanced heliocentric description of our solar
1473 - 1543 system.
Sir Francis Bacon Among other things, Bacon made new developments for Aristotle's logic
1561 - 1626 and the scientific method.
Thomas Hobbes
1588 - 1679
Descartes
1596 - 1650
John Locke
1632 - 1704
Isaac Newton By building on the findings of previous thinkers (especially Kepler and
1643 - 1727 Galileo), Newton developed basic formulaic laws for the both planetary
science and the universe. Contributed a work ethic of rigorous
experimentation.
George Berkeley
1685 - 1753
Voltaire
1694 - 1778
David Hume
1711 - 1776
Immanuel Kant
1724 - 1804
Karl Marx
1818 - 1883
Sigmund Freud
1856 - 1939