Famous philosophers

Timeline of Major Ethical Philosophies

By Nekunekunii
  • Period: 551 BCE to 479 BCE

    Confucius

    Confucius is one of the well renowned eastern philosopher in the world. He is best known with the saying “do not do unto others what you don’t want others do unto you,” which means refrain from acting in ways that you wouldn't like others to act toward you. Confucius is also notable for his code of ethics and moral values, which places a strong emphasis on the value of education, right conduct, and reverence for authority figures.
  • Period: 469 BCE to 399 BCE

    Socrates

    Socrates was an Athenian who was a mentor of Plato. He was known for his philosophy, “no one commits an evil act knowingly and doing wrong arises
    out of ignorance.” It means that a person who lacks moral knowledge about things is likely to commit moral evil. However, those who continue to do wrong despite knowing about it are thought to be fulfilling a hidden motive. Socrates was alsoknown for his Socratic method, which an argument is disproved by challenging its opponent's arguments.
  • Period: 428 BCE to 348 BCE

    Plato

    One of history's most well-known philosopher is Plato. Though he is renowned for a wide range of philosophical contributions, his theory of forms is what makes him unique. He believes that what is occurring in the material world (our world) is merely a representation of the real reality, which is obscured yet nevertheless has an impact on reality.
  • Period: 384 BCE to 322 BCE

    Aristotle

    Before turning into the Father of Western Philosophy, Aristotle was once a scholar of Plato. One of his most well-known theories is the idea of the "golden mean," which holds that the moral course in any given circumstance is the one that is somewhere between excess and deficiency. The middle ground between cowardice and recklessness, for instance, is the quality of courage. Aristotle believed that the secret to leading a moral and fulfilled life is to always seek the golden mean.
  • Period: 1225 to 1274

    Saint Thomas Aquinas

    Saint Thomas Aquinas was a Catholic priest, philosopher, and theologian who lived in the 13th century. He claimed that people have free will and the capacity to make moral decisions, and that morality is based on the natural law, which is knowable through reason. St. Thomas also believed that one may understand the truths of faith such as through reason and that reason and religion could coexist.