Ancient philosophy
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Pre-Socratic philosophy. In Europe, the spread of Christianity through the Roman world marked the end of Hellenistic philosophy and ushered in the beginnings of Medieval philosophy.
Western philosophers
Classical Greek philosophers
- Pericles (495-429 BCE)
- Aspasia (469-406 BCE)
- Socrates (469-399 BCE)
- Euclid of Megara (450-380 BCE)
- Antisthenes (445-360 BCE)
- Aristippus (435-356 BCE)
- Plato (429-347 BCE)
- Xenophon (429-355 BCE)
- Speusippus (407-339 BCE)
- Diogenes of Sinope (400-325 BCE)
- Xenocrates (396-314 BCE)
- Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
- Stilpo (380-300 BCE)
- Theophrastus (370-288 BCE)
- Pyrrho (365-275 BCE)
- Epicurus (341-270 BCE)
- Zeno of Citium (365-263 BCE)
- Cleanthes (331-232 BCE)
- Timon (320-230 BCE)
- Arcesilaus (316-232 BCE)
- Menippus (3rd century BCE)
- Archimedes (c. 287-212 BCE)
- Chrysippus (280-207 BCE)
- Carneades (214-129 BCE)
- Philo of Larissa (160-80 BCE)
- Posidonius (135-51 BCE)
- Aenesidemus (1st century BCE)
- Philo of Alexandria (30 BCE - 45 CE)
- Plutarch (45-120 CE)
- Cicero (106-43 BCe)
- Lucretius (94-55 BCE)
- Seneca (4 BCE - 65 CE)
- Musonius Rufus (30 CE - 100 CE)
- Epictetus (55-135 CE)
- Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE)
- Clement of Alexandria (150-215 CE)
- Alcinous (2nd century CE)
- Sextus Empiricus (3rd century CE)
- Alexander of Aphrodisias (3rd century CE)
- Ammonius Saccas (3rd century CE)
- Plotinus (205-270 CE)
- Porphyry (232-304 CE)
- Iamblichus (242-327 CE)
- Themistius (317-388 CE)
- Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE)
- Proclus (411-485 CE)
- Damascius (462-540 CE)
- Boethius (472-524 CE)
- Simplicius of Cilicia (490-560 CE)
Hellenistic schools of thought
Vedic philosophy
- Cicero (106-43 BCe)
- Lucretius (94-55 BCE)
- Seneca (4 BCE - 65 CE)
- Musonius Rufus (30 CE - 100 CE)
- Epictetus (55-135 CE)
- Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE)
- Clement of Alexandria (150-215 CE)
- Alcinous (2nd century CE)
- Sextus Empiricus (3rd century CE)
- Alexander of Aphrodisias (3rd century CE)
- Ammonius Saccas (3rd century CE)
- Plotinus (205-270 CE)
- Porphyry (232-304 CE)
- Iamblichus (242-327 CE)
- Themistius (317-388 CE)
- Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE)
- Proclus (411-485 CE)
- Damascius (462-540 CE)
- Boethius (472-524 CE)
- Simplicius of Cilicia (490-560 CE)
Hellenistic schools of thought
Vedic philosophy
Indian philosophy begins with the Vedas where questions related to laws of nature, the origin of the universe and the place of man in it are asked. In the famous Rigvedic Hymn of Creation the poet says:
"Whence all creation had its origin, he, whether he fashioned it or whether he did not, he, who surveys it all from highest heaven, he knows--or maybe even he does not know."
In the Vedic view, creation is ascribed to the self-consciousness of the primeval being (Purusha). This leads to the inquiry into the one being that underlies the diversity of empirical phenomena and the origin of all things. Cosmic order is termed rta and causal law by karma. Nature (prakriti) is taken to have three qualities (sattva, rajas, and tamas).
Classical Indian philosophy
In classical times, these inquiries were systematized in six schools of philosophy. Some of the questions asked were:
- What is the ontological nature of consciousness?
- How is cognition itself experienced?
- Is mind (chit) intentional or not?
- Does cognition have its own structure?
Other traditions of Indian philosophy include:
- Hindu philosophy
- Buddhist philosophy
- Jain philosophy
- Sikh philosophy
- Carvaka atheist philosophy
- Asanga (c. 300), exponent of the Yogacara
- Bhartrihari (c 450–510 CE), early figure in Indic linguistic theory
- Bodhidharma (c. 440–528 CE), founder of the Zen school of Buddhism
- Chanakya (c.350 - c.275 BCE) , author of Arthashastra, professor (acharya) of political science at the Takshashila University
- Dignāga (c. 500), one of the founders of Buddhist school of Indian logic.
- Gautama Buddha (563 BCE - 483 BCE), founder of Buddhist school of thought
- Gotama (c. 2nd–3rd century CE), wrote the Nyaya Sutras, considered to be the foundation of the Nyaya school.
- Kanada (c. 600 BCE), founded the philosophical school of Vaisheshika, gave theory of atomism
- Jaimini, author of Purva Mimamsa Sutras
- Kapila (c. 500 BCE), proponent of the Samkhya system of philosophy
- Nagarjuna (c. 150 - 250 CE), the founder of the Madhyamaka (Middle Path) school of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
- Panini (520–460 BCE), grammarian, author of Ashtadhyayi
- Patañjali (between 200 BCE and 400 CE), developed the philosophy of Raja Yoga in his Yoga Sutras.
- Pingala (c. 500 BCE), author of the Chandas shastra
- Syntipas (c. 100 BCE), author of The Story of the Seven Wise Masters.
- Tiruvalluvar (between 100 BCE and 300 CE), author of Thirukkural, one of the greatest ethical works in Tamil language
- Vasubandhu (c. 300), one of the main founders of the Indian Yogacara school.
- Vyasa, author of several important works in Hindu philosophy
- Yajnavalkya (1800 BCE ?), linked to philosophical teachings of the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, and the apophatic teaching of 'neti neti' etc.
Old Iranian philosophy
While there are ancient relations between the Indian Vedas and the Iranian Avesta, the two main families of the Indo-Iranian philosophical traditions were characterized by fundamental differences in their implications for the human being's position in society and their view on the role of man in the universe. The first charter of human rights by Cyrus the Great is widely seen as a reflection of the questions and thoughts expressed by Zarathustra and developed in zoroastrian schools of thought.
Chinese philosophy
In China, less emphasis was put upon materialism as a basis for reflecting upon the world and more on conduct, manners and social behaviour, as evidenced by Taoism and Confucianism.
- Chinese philosophy -- Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism
- Buddhist philosophy arose in India but contributions to it were made in China, Japan, and Korea also.
- Eastern philosophy
External links
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