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Lesson 13

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Lesson 13: An Overview of the Great Philosophers Introduction

 

No introduction to philosophy course would be complete without a general overview of the major philosophers and schools of philosophy. It is important to understand the history and the concepts of philosophy and its various sub-disciplines, but is equally important to be familiar with the minds that brought the ideas to life. This lesson provides a brief overview of the major philosophers throughout history.

 

A Rogue's Gallery of Philosophers

Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947 AD): An English mathematician whose complex and intricate philosophy included contributions in the philosophy of nature, education, and process metaphysics.

            Aristotle (382-322 BC): One of the founding fathers of western philosophy, Aristotle's influence was and continues to be profoundly felt. A student of Plato's. Aristotle wrote extensively on a staggering array of philosophical issues from aesthetics to ethics to metaphysics to logic and is considered one of the most influential thinkers of all time.

            Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860 AD): Schopenhauer believed the universe was not a rational place and, to deal with human suffering, "...we ought to minimize our natural desires to achieve a more tranquil frame of mind and a disposition towards universal beneficence" (SEP, 2011).

            Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677): Perhaps the most radical philosopher of the early modern period, Spinoza's "...thought combines a commitment to Cartesian metaphysical and epistemological principles with elements from ancient Stoicism and medieval Jewish rationalism …" (SEP, 2011). Considered a rationalist, he is best known for his work Ethics.

            Bertrand Russell (1872-1970 AD): Generally regarded as one of the fathers of modern analytic philosophy, he was an essayist, logician, mathematician, and social critic. He was a neutral monist and a highly prolific writer and thinker.

            Charles Hartshorne (1897-2000 AD): Hartshorne is "considered by many philosophers to be one of the most important philosophers of religion and metaphysicians of the twentieth century" (SEP, 2011). His primary contributions to philosophy were related to how, rather than whether God exists.

            David Hume (1711-1776 AD): The last of the three great English empiricists, Hume was considered an atheist and skeptic by his contemporaries. He was one of the first to present a secular moral theory. A highly controversial figure in his day, Hume's impact on future thinkers was immeasurable.

            Democritus and Leucippus (5th century BC): The fathers of modern atomic theory, these pre-Socratics believed the universe was comprised of invisible, indivisible units or "atoms" that moved in pre-determined ways.

            Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900 AD): This philosopher is the most (in)famous of the nihilistic existentialists. "He was interested in the enhancement of individual and cultural health, and believed in life, creativity, power, and the realities of the world we live in, rather than those situated in a world beyond (SEP 2011)."

            Georg F. W. Hegel (1770-1831 AD) A German idealist philosopher best known for his teleological history, fueled by the dialectic process of thesis vs. antithesis = synthesis. This concept was later taken by Karl Marx and combined with Feuerbach's materialism, producing modern (Marxist) communism.

            George Berkeley (1685-1753 AD): A priest of the Church of Ireland, Berkeley is considered one of the great empiricists. He is best known for his works on vision and idealist metaphysics (IEP 2011).

            Gottfried von Leibnitz (1646-1716 AD): A true renaissance man of modern thought, Leibnitz made tremendous contributions to metaphysics, logic, ethics, and theology. His is most well-known for his monadic theory, which posits the universe is comprised of only God and "...non-composite, immaterial, soul-like entities called 'monads (IEP 2011).'"

            Immanuel Kant (1724-1804 AD): One of the central figures of modern philosophy, Kant was an extreme rationalist and fierce defender of human autonomy who made monumental contributions in "...metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics, and other fields (SEP 2011)."

            John Duns Scotus (1265-1308 AD): One of the most influential of the medieval philosophers, Duns Scotus was known as "the Subtle Doctor". He made many contributions to natural theology, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and moral psychology (SEP 2011).

John Locke (1632-1704 AD): The influence of John Locke's political philosophy was a key influence on the Founding Fathers of the United States. A radical defender of human rights against authoritarianism, Locke urged the individual "… to use reason to search after truth rather than simply accept the opinion of authorities or be subject to superstition (SEP 2011)."

John Stewart Mill (1806-1873): A profoundly influential English philosopher, noted for his work in the ethics of utilitarianism. He also wrote major works on "...logic, epistemology, economics, social and political philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, religion, and current affairs (IEP 2011)."

            Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951 AD): This twentieth century philosopher's sole work, the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, "…claimed to solve all the major problems of philosophy and was held in especially high esteem by the anti-metaphysical logical positivists (IEP 2011)." He believed such problems resulted from misunderstandings in the use and logic of language.

            Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD): A Roman emperor of the second century AD, Marcus Aurelius was also a stoic philosopher concerned with living in accordance with his philosophical beliefs. He is most famous for his workMeditations.

            Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC): A Roman politician, orator, and writer, Cicero was a noted preserver of Hellenic philosophical writings, defender of human rights, and a highly influential thinker on subsequent European thought, particularly in regard to thoughts on natural law (Honderich 1995).

            Plato (427-347 BC): The most famous student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, Plato's influence on classical thought cannot be underestimated. His dualistic view of reality, as well as his voluminous writings, has held tremendous sway over the centuries and is still influential today, albeit in a modified form. He is also noted for preserving (or creating) the words of his teacher, Socrates, within his writings.

            Plotinus (204-270 AD): Considered the founder of Neo-Platonism. Plotinus advocated a very mystical and spiritual cosmology of surprising depth and complexity. His metaphysics formed the beginnings of emanationism (IEP 2011).

            René Descartes (1596-1650 AD): The Father of Modern Philosophy. His work established a new form of dualism that broke from the prevailing Scholastic-Aristotelian thinking at the time. His famous "cogito ergo sum"--"I think, therefore I am"--was the final result of his method of "hyperbolic doubt (IEP 2011)."

            Socrates: Credited with the saying "the unexamined life is not worth living", his thoughts and teachings come to us through the writings of his famous pupil, Plato. Socrates is famous for deriving truth by the asking of questions, known as the "Socratic method".

            Thales of Miletus: (620-545 BC): The first of the pre-Socratic philosophers of Ancient Greece, Thales is considered the Father of Philosophy. Virtually none of his writings survive, but his philosophy is recounted in the works of others.

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