The Most Influential Philosophers Explained in 26 Minutes

Socrates was one of the most important figures in Western philosophy celebrated for his contributions to ethics theory of knowledge and diale reasoning born in Athens Greece in the year 469 B. C to a stonemason so fiscus and a midwife fit Socrates likely received a basic education little is known about his childhood but he served as a soldier in the Peloponnesian War Socrates is best known for his method of questioning now called the Socratic method a form of dialc inquiry aimed at uncovering assumptions and encouraging critical thinking unlike many philosophers of this time Socrates wrote nothing down with his ideas instead being known through the works of his students especially Plato his philosophy revolved around the pursuit of wisdom in the belief that virtue is Central to a meaningful life he famously declared the unexamined life is not worth living Socrates challenged the moral complacency and intellectual arrogance of his peers advocating for self- knowledge and ethical introspection his questioning often exposed contradictions in people's beliefs earning him both admirers and critics he rejected wealth and materialism living modestly and engaging with Athenians in public spaces in 399 b. c.

Socrates was tried and executed for allegedly corrupting the youth and being ungodly defended himself eloquently refusing to abandon his principles even if it meant saving his life he accepted his death by drinking poison this resulted in him becoming a martyr for free thoughts Socrates profoundly influenced Western philosophy shaping the work of Plato Aristotle and countless others his emphasis on reason dialogue and ethic IAL inquiry remains Central to philosophy and education Plato was a Monumental figure in Western philosophy a student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle born into a wealthy and influential Athenian family either in the year 428 or 427 BC his early life was marked by privilege and in education in music poetry and gymnastics the political turmoil of Athens during his youth combined with the execution of his mentor Socrates deeply influenced Plato's philosophical Outlook Plato founded the academy in Athens one of the first institutions of higher learning in the western world where he taught and wrote extensively his Works written as dialogues feature Socrates as a central figure and explore topics such as ethics politics metaphysics epistemology and education the Republic one of his most famous works presents his vision of a just Society ruled by philosopher Kings and outlines his theory of forms which claims that the material world is a shadow of a higher unchanging reality Plato's philosophy emphasized reason the pursuit of truth and the importance of a virtuous life his allegory of the cave illustrates the transformative power of education and philosophy advocating for the Enlighten to guide Society he also contributed significantly to discussions on the nature of knowledge proposing that true understanding comes from contemplating the Eternal and perfect forms rather than relying on sensory experience Plato's ideas laid the foundation for much of Christian theology political Theory and philosophy his Academy remained a hub of intellectual activity for centuries shaping thinkers like Aristotle Plato died around 347 BCE and his works are are some of the most influential in history inspiring debates on ethics politics and the nature of reality for over 2,000 years Aristotle was a Greek philosopher whose work shaped Western thought across numerous disciplines including science ethics politics and metaphysics born in Saga a small town in northern Greece in the year 384 b. c. he was the son of nicus a physician to the Macedonian Royal courts this early exposure to medicine and biology may have sparked his lifelong interest in the natural world orphan as a child Aristotle was raised by a guardian in Sensi Athens at age 17 to study at Plato's Academy where he remained for 20 years although deeply influenced by Plato Aristotle diverged from his teachers ideas emphasizing empirical observation and rejecting Plato's theory of forms after Plato's death Aristotle spent time traveling and conducting biological research before being invited to tutor Alexander the Great in Macedonia this role gave him access to resources and experiences that informed his later works around 335 BCE Aristotle returned to Athens and established the lysium a school where he taught and conducted research in diverse Fields including logic ethics politics rhetoric biology and physics his methodical approach and insistent on systematic observation laid the groundwork for modern science keyw Works include nicomaki and ethics which explores the concept of virtue in the good life in politics a written work on governance in the organization of society Aristotle's philosophy emphasized the importance of reason moderation and practical wisdom he also came up with the idea of the golden mean advocating for a balanced virtuous life he would also later propose a comprehensive cosmology and theories of causation that influenced medieval and Renaissance thought Aristotle died in 322 B.

C in yubia and his contributions to philosophy science and logic have had a profound impact establishing him as one of History's Greatest intellectual figures earning him the title the philosopher in the Middle Ages confucious was born as Kong in the state of Lou which is modern-day Shandong China in the year 551 B. C and he was a Chinese philosopher whose teaching shaped the moral and social fabric of East Asia raised in modest circumstances his father a military officer died when confucious was young leaving the family in poverty despite these challenges confucious developed a deep love of learning studying history music and traditional religious acts confucious worked as a teacher attracting disciples who sought his guidance on ethics governance and proper conduct his philosophy centered on the cultivation of virtue moral integrity and the importance of harmonious social relationships he emphasized five core virtues benevolence righteousness propriety wisdom and faithfulness these principles form the basics of Confucianism a system of thought that deeply influenced Chinese society and governance confucious believed in the power of Education to transform individuals and advocated for rulers to lead by example practicing moral virtue rather than relying on coercion he idealized a hierarchial but benevolent social order with filial peity which means respect for parents and ancestors as a Cornerstone his teachings were compiled after his death which occurred in the year 479 B.