The Great Philosophers | List of Philosophers

Welcome to the site for the great philosophers. Here you will find information on some of the greatest philosophers the world has ever known. The philosophers are listed alphabetically. Feel free to vote on your favorite and leave comments.

Anselm

Anselm of Canterbury, born circa 1033 was an Italian philosopher and a Benedictine Catholic monk. He also held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to the time of his death at April 21st, 1109. He is known for the school of thought of Scholasticism. Anselm was born into a noble lineage and his family had considerable fortune. At age fifteen, he wished to enter a monastery but was refused by his father. After a short illness, he lived a largely carefree life and at age twenty three, travelled to Normandy and entered an abbey at age twenty seven. At this time, he entered under the rule of Saint Benedictine, which influenced much of thinking later in life.

Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquinas was an Italian philosopher and theologian in the school of Scholasticism. He was born circa 1225 and died March 7th 1274. He was also a priest at a Catholic Church in the Dominican Order. A very influential philosopher of his time, much of modern thought has been derived as a criticism of or in agreement with his ideas and beliefs relation to politics, ethics and natural law. Born in Aquino, Aquinas was of noble lineage and had his early studies at Monte Cassino. He later studied at Naples, where he was introduced to Aristotle, Averroes and Maimonides, all of whom had an effect on his later thinking. At age nineteen, he decided to join the Dominican Order, which drew many negative reactions from family.

Aristotle

Aristotle was one of Plato’s greatest students. He lived from 384 BC to 322 BC. His father worked as a physician for the Mecadonian king. At the age of seven Aristotle was sent to the academy to pursue his studies. His journey at the academy took him from being merely a student at the beginning to a researcher followed by being a teacher. He used dialogue form to understand, adopt and develop Platonic ideas and express them. After leaving Athens Aristotle went to Asia Minor in Assos to open a branch of academy. This branch focused more on biology as oppose to the one in Athens that focused on mathematics

Descartes

The world famous French philosopher, mathematician, physicist and writer Rene Descartes was born on the 31st of March 1596 and died on the 11th of February 1650. Even though he had a short life of 54 years, he was a very accomplished man. He spent the majority of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been honored with the title of being the “father of modern philosophy.” He was born in La Haye en Touraine in Indre-et-Loire, France. His mother passed away when he was only a year old and his father raised him all alone. At a young eleven years of age he entered the Jesuit College Royal Henry-Le-Grand at La Fleche and graduation from there he went on to pursue higher studies in a University. This was the University of Poitiers and from there he obtained a degree in law. It was his father’s wish that he become a lawyer.

Hegel

On August 27, 1770, in Stuttgart, Georg Ludwig Hegel, a revenue officer with the Dutch of Wurttemberg became a father. His son was named Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and he died in 1831. Hegel was raised in a very strong protestant atmosphere with big influential powers such as his parents. However his mother passed away when he was just eleven years old. The psychosis of Hegel’s sister that could be traced back to her jealousy towards his wife helped him develop psychiatric ideas that were based on the concepts of dialectics.

Hobbes

In the year 1588, Thomas Hobbes was born in the city of London, England. He died on the 4th of December 1679. Hobbes received his college education from the prestigious Oxford University in England. After graduating with a degree in the classics he took on the job of traveling to other European countries. He did so several times and met with the scientists in order to study the different types of governments there were. It became of a great big interest to Hobbes to investigate the reason people did not mind being ruled upon. This grew out to spark Hobbes’ curiosity as to what type of governing entity would suit England the best. Leviathan, 1651 was Hobbes’ most famous written work, in which he made arguments such as, that people are not fit to trusted to become the government because they are naturally wicked.

Hume

David Hume was a great Scottish Philosopher and Historian. He lived from the 7th of May 1711 to the 25th of August 1776. He is regarded and renowned as one of the key figures in the Scottish Enlightenment and the Western Philosophy. During his lifetime Hume gained more fame and prestige by being known as a historian rather than a philosopher. Today he is more renowned as a philosopher; however back in his day his works such as the six-volume History of England was one of the greatest bestsellers. He attended the University of Edinburgh at the unusually young age of 12 years. Although he had the option of choosing law as a career and making a decent life out of it, he seemed to be naturally drawn towards philosophy, as such chose a career in that.

Kant

Immanuel Kant was born on April 22, 1724 and he died on February 12, 1804. He was the son of the herness maker Johann Georg Kant. He was born and brought in the capital of East Prussia, which is called Konigsberg and he never traveled too far out of his homeland. In fact it is said that he maintained a traveling diameter of 70 miles within the capital and never went beyond that. Kant was sent to the Collegium Fredericianum that was directed by Kant’s family pastor. This happened when he was eight years old on 1732. Unfortunately at the age of thirteen his mother was infected and diagnosed with Rheumatic fever and died shortly after. It was a devastating event in Kant’s life. At the age of sixteen Kant went to the Albertus University of Königsberg as a student of philosophy and pursued this higher learning until his father passed away in 1746.

Kierkegaard

Soren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher, theologian and psychologist. Born on May 5th, 1813, he talked of the priority of concrete human realities and the importance of personal choice and commitment till his death on November 11th, 1855. He is known as one of the most influential thinkers in the field of contemporary thought.

Kierkegaard is known for distinguishing his philosophical, theological and psychological methods and regarded as the father of existentialism. Born in Copenhagen, he was introduced to the concept of sin and penance and its relationship with the Church by his father at an early age. Apart from his father, Kierkegaard’s mother and fiancée Regine Olsen were two of the biggest influences on his thinking.

Locke

On August 29 in the year 1632, John Locke was born in the small village of Somerset in Wrington. He died in Lady and Lord Masham’s country house in Essex on 28th October 1704. His early childhood was very unfortunate as his mother passed away while he was just an infant. His father passed away shortly after his mother did, leaving him an orphan. He studied in the renowned Westminster school from 1646 onwards and graduated from the University of Oxford in 1652. His early studies were in the classics from Greek, Rhetoric, Moral Philosophy and many more. Following that in the later years he underwent training in medicine and experimental science. After that in the year 1666 he practiced medicine on then famous Anthony aka Lord Anthony. This treatment fortunately lead to a great friendship between the two men.

Search

Quick List