Philosophy Articles Catalog
Complete catalog of philosophy articles: from basics to modern concepts
< div class="catalog-section" >A Quick History of Philosophy
- What is Philosophy? At its simplest, philosophy (from the Greek phílosophía or phílosophía, meaning ‘the love of wisd...
- Pre-Socratic Philosophy Western Philosophy - by which we usually mean everything apart from the Eastern Philosophy of Chi...
- Classical Philosophy Philosophy really took off, though, with Socrates and Plato in the 5th - 4th Century B.C. (often ...
- Other Ancient Philosophical Schools In the philosophical cauldron of Ancient Greece, though (as well as the Hellenistic and Roman civ...
- Eastern Philosophy The distinction between Western and Eastern is of course somewhat arbitrary and artificial, and i...
- Medieval Philosophy After about the 4th or 5th Century A.D., Europe entered the so-called Dark Ages, during which lit...
- Early Modern Philosophy The Age of Reason of the 17th Century and the Age of Enlightenment of the 18th Century (very roug...
- 19th Century Philosophy In the Modern period, Kantianism gave rise to the German Idealists, each of whom had their own in...
- 20th Century Philosophy 20th Century philosophy has been dominated to a great extent by the rivalry between two very gene...
- African Philosophy African Philosophy is a disputed term, partly because it is not clear if it refers to philosophie...
Metaphysics
- Introduction Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of existence, being and the wor...
- Existence and Consciousness Existence (the fact or state of continued being) is axiomatic (meaning that it does not rest upon...
- Mind and Matter Early debates on the nature of matter centered on identifying a single underlying principle (Moni...
- Objects and their Properties The world contains many individual things (objects or particulars), both physical and abstract, a...
- Identity and Change Identity is whatever makes an entity definable and recognizable, in terms of possessing a set of ...
- Space and Time A traditional Realist position is that time and space have existence independent from the human m...
- Religion and Spirituality Theology is the study of God and the nature of the Divine. This is sometimes considered a whole s...
- Necessity and Possibility A necessary fact is true across all possible worlds (that is, we could not imagine it to be other...
- Abstract Objects and Mathematics Some philosophers hold that there are abstract objects (such as numbers, mathematical objects and...
- Determinism and Free Will Determinism is the philosophical proposition that every event, including human cognition, decisio...
- Cosmology and Cosmogony Cosmology is the branch of metaphysics that deals with the world as the totality of all phenomena...
- Agnosticism Agnosticism is the belief that the nature and existence of gods is unknown and inherently unknowa...
- Atheism Atheism (or non-theism) is the belief that gods do not exist, or a complete rejection of Theism o...
- Atomism Atomism is the theory that all of reality and all the objects in the universe are composed of ver...
- Deism Deism is a form of Monotheism in which it is believed that one God exists, but that this God does...
- Determinism Determinism is the philosophical proposition that every event, decision and action is causally de...
- Dualism Dualism in Metaphysics is the belief that there are two kinds of reality: material (physical) and...
- Essentialism Essentialism, at its simplest, is the view that things have essences (the attribute, or set of at...
- Existentialism Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom and choice. It is th...
- Fideism Fideism (from the Latin "fides" or "faith") is the view that religious belief depends on faith or...
- Idealism Idealism is the metaphysical and epistemological doctrine that ideas or thoughts make up fundamen...
- Intellectualism Intellectualism is the view that regards the intellect as superior to the will, and that the inte...
- Materialism Materialism holds that the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is matter. Thus, accordin...
- Monism Monism is the metaphysical and theological view that all is one, that there are no fundamental di...
- Monotheism Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one deity, or in the oneness or uniqueness of God. I...
- Naturalism Naturalism is the belief that nature is all that exists, and that all things supernatural (includ...
- Nominalism Nominalism is the doctrine that abstract concepts, general terms or universals have no independen...
- Nihilism Nihilism is the philosophical position which argues that Being, especially past and current human...
- Objectivism Objectivism is the view that there is a reality, or realm of objects and facts, which exists whol...
- Panentheism Panentheism, (also known as Monistic Monotheism), is the belief, similar to Pantheism, that the p...
- Pantheism Pantheism is the view that God is equivalent to Nature or the physical universe - that they are e...
- Phenomenology Phenomenology is a broad discipline and method of inquiry in philosophy, developed largely by the...
- Physicalism Physicalism (also known as Materialistic Monism - see the sections on Materialism and Monism) is ...
- Pluralism Pluralism, appropriate to its name, is a concept used in many different ways in Philosophy (see b...
- Polytheism Polytheism is the belief in, or worship of, multiple gods (usually assembled in a pantheon). Thes...
- Realism Realism, at it simplest and most general, is the view that entities of a certain type have an obj...
- Reductionism Reductionism is an approach to understanding the nature of complex things by reducing them to the...
- Relativism Relativism is the idea that some element or aspect of experience or culture is relative to (or de...
- Solipsism Solipsism is the position in Metaphysics and Epistemology that the mind is the only thing that ca...
- Subjectivism Subjectivism is the theory that perception (or consciousness) is reality, and that there is no un...
- Theism Theism is the belief in the existence of one or more divinities or deities (gods), which are both...
- Voluntarism Voluntarism is the metaphysical and epistemological view that regards the will as superior to the...
Epistemology
- Introduction Epistemology is the study of the nature and scope of knowledge and justified belief. It analyzes ...
- What Is Knowledge? Knowledge is the awareness and understanding of particular aspects of reality. It is the clear, l...
- How Is Knowledge Acquired? Propositional knowledge can be of two types, depending on its source: a priori (or non-empirical)...
- What Can People Know? The fact that any given justification of knowledge will itself depend on another belief for its j...
- Constructivism Constructivism (also known as Constructionism) is a relatively recent perspective in Epistemology...
- Deconstructionism Deconstructionism (or sometimes just Deconstruction) is a theory in Epistemology and Philosophy o...
- Empiricism Empiricism is the theory that the origin of all knowledge is sense experience. It emphasizes the ...
- Externalism Externalism is the view in Epistemology that there are factors other than those which are interna...
- Fallibilism Fallibilism is the philosophical doctrine that absolute certainty about knowledge is impossible, ...
- Foundationalism Foundationalism is the theory in Epistemology that beliefs can be justified based on basic or fou...
- Historicism Historicism (also known as Historism) holds that there is an organic succession of developments, ...
- Holism Holism in general terms (whether in science, sociology, economics, linguistics or philosophy) is ...
- Internalism Internalism is the view in Epistemology that everything necessary to provide justification for a ...
- Instrumentalism Instrumentalism is the methodological view in Epistemology and Philosophy of Science, advanced by...
- Logical Positivism Logical Positivism (later also known as Logical Empiricism) is a theory in Epistemology and Logic...
- Ordinary Language Philosophy Ordinary Language Philosophy (also known as Linguistic Philosophy) is a 20th Century philosophica...
- Phenomenalism Phenomenalism is the view in Epistemology and the Philosophy of Perception that physical objects ...
- Positivism Positivism is the view that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such k...
- Pragmatism Pragmatism (or Pragmaticism) is the view that considers practical consequences or real effects to...
- Rationalism Rationalism is any view appealing to intellectual and deductive reason (as opposed to sensory exp...
- Representationalism Representationalism (also known as Representative Realism or Indirect Realism or Epistemological ...
- Scientism Scientism is the broad-based belief that the assumptions and methods of research of the physical ...
- Skepticism Skepticism (or Scepticism in the UK spelling), also known as Pyrrhonism or Pyrrhonic Skepticism a...
- Verificationism Verificationism (also known as the Verifiability Criterion of Meaning or the Verification Princip...
Ethics
- Introduction Ethics (or Moral Philosophy) is concerned with questions of how people ought to act, and the sear...
- Ancient Greek Ethics Socrates, as recorded in Plato's dialogues, is customarily regarded as the father of Western ethi...
- Normative Ethics Normative Ethics (or Prescriptive Ethics) is the branch of ethics concerned with establishing how...
- Meta-Ethics Meta-Ethics is concerned primarily with the meaning of ethical judgments, and seeks to understand...
- Descriptive Ethics Descriptive Ethics is a value-free approach to ethics which examines ethics from the perspective ...
- Applied Ethics Applied Ethics is a discipline of philosophy that attempts to apply ethical theory to real-life s...
- Altruism Altruism (or Ethical Altruism) is an ethical doctrine that holds that individuals have a moral ob...
- Asceticism Asceticism describes a life-style characterized by voluntary abstinence from various sorts of wor...
- Cognitivism Cognitivism is the view that ethical sentences express propositions and can therefore be true or ...
- Consequentialism Consequentialism (or Teleological Ethics) is an approach to Ethics that argues that the morality ...
- Cynicism Cynicism is an ancient Greek ethical doctrine which holds that the purpose of life is to live a l...
- Deontology Deontology (or Deontological Ethics) is an approach to Ethics that focuses on the rightness or wr...
- Egoism Egoism (or Ethical Egoism) is the ethical position that moral agents ought to do what is in their...
- Epicureanism Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based on the teachings of Epicurus, founded around 307 B.C...
- Ethical Naturalism Ethical Naturalism (or Naturalistic Ethics) is the meta-ethical doctrine that there are objective...
- Ethical Non-Naturalism Ethical Non-Naturalism is the meta-ethical doctrine that ethical statements express propositions ...
- Ethical Subjectivism Ethical Subjectivism holds that there are no objective moral properties and that ethical statemen...
- Eudaimonism Eudaimonism (or Eudaemonism or Eudaimonia) is a moral philosophy that defines right action as tha...
- Hedonism Hedonism is the philosophy that pleasure is the most important pursuit of mankind, and the only t...
- Humanism Humanism is a broad category of ethical, metaphysical, epistemological and political philosophies...
- Individualism Individualism is a moral, political or social outlook that stresses human independence and the im...
- Moral Absolutism Moral Absolutism is the ethical belief that there are absolute standards against which moral ques...
- Moral Anti-Realism Moral Anti-Realism (or Moral Irrealism) is the meta-ethical doctrine that there are no objective ...
- Moral Nihilism Moral Nihilism is the meta-ethical view (see the section on Ethics) that ethical claims are gener...
- Moral Realism Moral Realism (or Moral Objectivism) is the meta-ethical view (see the section on Ethics) that th...
- Moral Relativism Moral Relativism (or Ethical Relativism) is the position that moral or ethical propositions do no...
- Moral Skepticism Moral Skepticism is the meta-ethical theory that no-one has any moral knowledge (or the stronger ...
- Moral Universalism Moral Universalism is the meta-ethical position that there is a universal ethic which applies to ...
- Non-Cognitivism Non-Cognitivism is the meta-ethical view (or family of views) that moral utterances lack truth-va...
- Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribu...
- Virtue Ethics Virtue Ethics (or Virtue Theory) is an approach to Ethics that emphasizes an individual's charact...
Ancient
- Aristotelianism Aristotelianism is a school or tradition of philosophy from the Socratic (or Classical) period of...
- Atomism Atomism is a Pre-Socratic school of thought from ancient Greece, established in the late 5th Cent...
- Cynicism Cynicism is a school of philosophy from the Socratic period of ancient Greece, which holds that t...
- Eleatic School The Eleatic School is an early Pre-Socratic school of philosophy founded by Parmenides in the 5th...
- Ephesian School The Ephesian School is a Greek Pre-Socratic school of philosophy of the 5th Century B.C., althoug...
- Epicureanism Epicureanism is a Hellenistic school or system of philosophy based on the teachings of the ancien...
- Hedonism Hedonism is a school of philosophy from the Socratic and Hellenistic periods of ancient Greece, w...
- Milesian School The Milesian School is an early Pre-Socratic school of philosophy founded in the 6th Century B.C....
- Neo-Platonism Neo-Platonism is a Hellenistic school of philosophy founded by Plotinus in the 3rd Century A.D. T...
- Platonism Platonism is an ancient Greek school of philosophy from the Socratic period, founded around 387 B...
- Pluralism Pluralism is a Greek Pre-Socratic school of philosophy of the 5th Century B.C., consisting of thr...
- Pythagoreanism Pythagoreanism is an early Pre-Socratic Greek school of philosophy based around the metaphysical ...
- Skepticism Skepticism (or Scepticism in the UK spelling) is a Hellenistic school of philosophy. At its simpl...
- Sophism Sophism is an early Pre-Socratic school of philosophy in ancient Greece. It is the name often giv...
- Stoicism Stoicism is a Hellenistic school of philosophy, developed by the Greek philosopher Zeno of Citium...
Medieval
- Averroism Averroism is a Medieval school of philosophy, begun in the late 13th Century, which was based on ...
- Avicennism Avicennism is a Medieval school of philosophy founded by the 11th Century Persian philosopher Avi...
- Illuminationism Illuminationism is a Medieval school of Islamic philosophy founded in the 12th Century by Shahab ...
- Scholasticism Scholasticism is a Medieval school of philosophy (or, perhaps more accurately, a method of learni...
- Scotism Scotism is a Medieval school of philosophy named after 13th Century philosopher and Franciscan th...
- Thomism Thomism is a Medieval school of philosophy that arose specifically as a legacy of the work and th...
Modern
- Analytic Philosophy Analytic Philosophy (or sometimes Analytical Philosophy) is a 20th Century movement in philosophy...
- British Empiricism British Empiricism is a practical philosophical movement which grew up, largely in Britain, durin...
- Continental Philosophy Continental Philosophy refers to a set of traditions of 19th and 20th Century philosophy in mainl...
- Deconstructionism Deconstructionism (or sometimes just Deconstruction) is a 20th Century school in philosophy initi...
- Existentialism Existentialism is a movement in philosophy and literature that emphasizes individual existence, f...
- German Idealism German Idealism is a philosophical movement centered in Germany during the Age of Enlightenment o...
- Hegelianism Hegelianism is a philosophical school based on the writings of the German Idealist philosopher Ge...
- Humanism Humanism is a Renaissance movement in philosophy towards a more human-centered (and less religion...
- Kantianism Kantianism is a philosophical school based on the writings of the key German Idealist philosopher...
- Logicism Logicism is an early 20th Century philosophical and mathematical movement, initially developed in...
- Logical Positivism Logical Positivism (later also known as Logical Empiricism) is a 20th Century school of philosoph...
- Marxism Marxism is a philosophical, political and social movement derived from the work of Karl Marx and ...
- Modernism Modernism refers to a reforming movement in art, architecture, music, literature and the applied ...
- Ordinary Language Ordinary Language Philosophy (also known as Linguistic Philosophy or Natural Language Philosophy)...
- Phenomenology Phenomenology is a philosophical tradition or movement of the first half of the 20th Century, dev...
- Positivism Positivism is a philosophical school developed by the French sociologist and philosopher Auguste ...
- Post-Modernism Post-Modernism is a broad movement in late 20th Century philosophy and the arts, marked in genera...
- Post-Structuralism Post-Structuralism is a late 20th Century movement in philosophy and literary criticism, which is...
- Pragmatism Pragmatism is a late 19th Century and early 20th Century school of philosophy which considers pra...
- Rationalism Rationalism is a philosophical movement which gathered momentum during the Age of Reason of the 1...
- Romanticism Romanticism is a philosophical movement during the Age of Enlightenment which emphasizes emotiona...
- Structuralism Structuralism is a 20th Century intellectual movement and approach to the human sciences (it has ...
- Transcendentalism Transcendentalism (often called American Transcendentalism) is a philosophical movement centered ...
- Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a movement in Ethics and Political Philosophy in 19th Century England, which pr...
Philosophy of Mind
- Introduction Philosophy of Mind is the branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind (mental events...
- Dualism Dualism is the position that mind and body are in some categorical way separate from each other, ...
- Monism Monism is the position that mind and body are not ontologically distinct kinds of entities. This ...
Philosophy of History
- Introduction Philosophy of History (or Historiosophy) is an area of philosophy concerning the eventual signifi...
- Ancient Era In Ancient Greece, historiography (the processes by which historical knowledge is obtained and tr...
- Modern Era It was really not until the 19th Century that the idea of presenting objective historical facts b...
Philosophy of Science
- Introduction Philosophy of Science is the study of the assumptions, foundations, and implications of natural s...
- What is Science? One of the central questions in the Philosophy of Science is distinguishing science from non-scie...
- History of Philosophy of Science Empiricism (and, later, Positivism and Logical Positivism) grounded science in observation, and c...
Aesthetics
- Introduction Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and appreciation of art, beauty ...
- Aesthetic Judgements Judgements of aesthetic value rely on our ability to discriminate at a sensory level, but they us...
- What is Art? In recent years, the word “art” is roughly used as an abbreviation for creative art or fine art, ...
- Aesthetic Universals The contemporary American philosopher Denis Dutton (1944 - 2010) has identified seven universal s...
- History of Aesthetics The Ancient Greek philosophers initially felt that aesthetically appealing objects were beautiful...
Logic
- Introduction Logic (from the Greek "logos", which has a variety of meanings including word, thought, idea, arg...
- History of Logic In Ancient India, the "Nasadiya Sukta" of the Rig Veda contains various logical divisions that we...
- Types of Logic Logic in general can be divided into Formal Logic, Informal Logic and Symbolic Logic and Mathemat...
- Deductive Logic Deductive reasoning concerns what follows necessarily from given premises (i.e. from a general pr...
- Inductive Logic Inductive reasoning is the process of deriving a reliable generalization from observations (i.e. ...
- Modal Logic Modal Logic is any system of formal logic that attempts to deal with modalities (expressions asso...
- Propositional Logic Propositional Logic (or Sentential Logic) is concerned only with sentential connectives and logic...
- Predicate Logic Predicate Logic allows sentences to be analyzed into subject and argument in several different wa...
- Fallacies A logical fallacy is any sort of mistake in reasoning or inference, or, essentially, anything tha...
- Paradoxes A paradox is a statement or sentiment that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense ...
Political philosophy
- Introduction Political philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about the state, government, politics,...
- Ancient Political Philosophy Western political philosophy has its origins in Ancient Greece, when city-states were experimenti...
- Modern Political Philosophy During the Age of Enlightenment, Europe entered a sort of golden age of political philosophy with...
- Anarchism Anarchism is the political philosophy which rejects (and supports the elimination of) compulsory ...
- Capitalism Capitalism is the economic and social system (and also the mode of production) in which the means...
- Communism Communism is a socio-economic structure that promotes the establishment of a classless, stateless...
- Communitarianism Communitarianism is a 20th Century political doctrine which emphasizes the interest of communitie...
- Conservatism Conservatism (or conservativism) is any political philosophy that favors tradition (in the sense ...
- Contractarianism Contractarianism refers to both the theory in Political Philosophy on the legitimacy of political...
- Egalitarianism Egalitarianism is a political doctrine that holds that all people should be treated as equals fro...
- Fascism Fascism is an authoritarian Nationalist political ideology that exalts nation (and often race) ab...
- Feminism Feminism comprises a number of egalitarian social, cultural and political movements, theories and...
- Liberalism Liberalism includes a broad spectrum of political philosophies that consider individual liberty t...
- Libertarianism Libertarianism includes a broad spectrum of political philosophies, each sharing the common overa...
- Marxism Marxism is an economic and social system derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels ...
- Nationalism Nationalism is the doctrine that one's national culture and interests are superior to any other, ...
- Socialism Socialism is a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject...
- Totalitarianism Totalitarianism refers to an authoritarian political system or state that regulates and controls ...
Philosophy of Religion
- Introduction Philosophy of Religion is the branch of philosophy that is concerned with the philosophical study...
- Forms of Religious Belief The main forms of religious belief are: Theism: The belief in the existence of one or more divini...
- Arguments for the Existence of God The Ontological Argument: The Ontological Argument, initially proposed by St. Anselm and Avicenna...
- The Problem of Evil The Problem of Evil has been stated in different ways: The Logical Problem of Evil, considered by...
Philosophy of Language
- Introduction Philosophy of Language is the reasoned inquiry into the origins of language, the nature of meanin...
- History of the Philosophy of Language Early inquiry into language can be traced back to as long ago as 1500 B.C. in India, long before ...
- The Nature of Language One of the most fundamental questions asked in Philosophy of Language is "What is language (in ge...
- The Nature of Meaning As we have seen, then, the answer to the question, "What is meaning?", is not immediately obvious...
- Intentionality Another important concept in the Philosophy of Language is that of intentionality, sometimes defi...
- Reference How language interacts with the world, what philosophers call reference, has interested many phil...
- Sentence Composition Philosophical semantics (the study or science of meaning in language) tends to focus on the princ...
- Learning and Thought There are three main schools of thought on the issue of language learning: Behaviourism: which ho...
- Formal vs. Informal Approaches Most philosophers have been more or less skeptical about formalizing natural languages, and thus ...
Philosophy of Education
- Introduction Philosophy of Education is a label applied to the study of the purpose, process, nature and ideal...
- Ancient Era Plato is the earliest important educational thinker, and education is an essential element in "Th...
- Modern Era During the Renaissance, the French skeptic Michel de Montaigne (1533 - 1592) was one of the first...
Ancient
- Thales of Miletus Thales of Miletus (c. 624 - 546 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic philosopher, mathematician and as...
- Anaximander Anaximander (c. 610 - 546 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic philosopher from the Greek city of Mile...
- Anaximenes Anaximenes (c. 585 - 525 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic philosopher from the Greek city of Milet...
- Pythagoras Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570 - 490 B.C.) was an early Greek Pre-Socratic philosopher and mathemati...
- Heraclitus Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 - 475 B.C.) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Ephesus, on t...
- Parmenides of Elea Parmenides of Elea (c. 515 - 450 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and founder an...
- Anaxagoras Anaxagoras (c. 500 - 428 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Ionia, although h...
- Empedocles Empedocles (c. 490 - 430 B.C.) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, usually considered a member ...
- Zeno of Elea Zeno of Elea (c. 490 - 430 B.C.) was an important Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from the Greek c...
- Protagoras Protagoras (c. 490 - 420 B.C.) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Thrace in northern Greec...
- Gorgias Gorgias (c. 487 - 376 B.C.) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, orator and rhetorician from Sic...
- Democritus Democritus (c. 460 - 370 B.C.), sometimes known as the "Laughing Philosopher", was a Pre-Socratic...
- Socrates Socrates (c. 469 - 399 B.C.) was a hugely important Greek philosopher from the Classical period (...
- Plato Plato (c. 428 - 348 B.C.) was a hugely important Greek philosopher and mathematician from the Soc...
- Diogenes of Sinope Diogenes of Sinope (aka Diogenes the Cynic) (c. 412 - 323 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher of the So...
- Aristotle Aristotle (384 - 322 B.C.) was an important Greek philosopher from the Socratic (or Classical) pe...
- Pyrrho Pyrrho (AKA Pyrrho of Elis) (360 - 270 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher of the Hellenistic period, f...
- Epicurus Epicurus (341 - 270 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher of the Hellenistic period. He was the founder a...
- Zeno of Citium Zeno of Citium (c. 334 - 262 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher of the Hellenistic period, active in A...
- Philo of Alexandria Philo of Alexandria (AKA Philo Judaeus, Philo the Jew and Yedidia) (c. 20 B.C. - A.D. 50) was a J...
- Plotinus Plotinus (c. A.D. 204 - 270) was an Egyptian/Greek/Roman philosopher of the Hellenistic period. H...
- Marcus Tullius Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero (usually known simply as Cicero) (106 - 43 B.C.) was a Roman philosopher, o...
- Epictetus Epictetus (c. A.D. 55 - 135) was a Greek/Roman philosopher of the Hellenistic period. He managed ...
- Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius (c. A.D. 121 - 180) was a Roman Emperor (the last of the "Five Good Emperors") an...
- St. Augustine of Hippo St. Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354 - 430) was an Algerian-Roman philosopher and theologian of the l...
- Boethius Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (usually known simply as Boethius) (c. 480 - 525) was a 6th Ce...
Medieval
- Avicenna Avicenna (AKA Ibn Sina or Ibn Seena or, in full, Abu Ali al-Hussain Ibn Abdallah Ibn Sina) (980 -...
- St. Anselm of Canterbury St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033 - 1109) was an Italian philosopher and theologian of the Medieval ...
- Peter Abelard Peter Abelard (AKA Petrus Abaelardus or Pierre Abélard) (1079 - 1142) was a 12th Century French p...
- Averroës Averroës (AKA Ibn Rushd or Ibn Roschd or, in full, Abu al-Walid Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd) (11...
- Moses Maimonides Moses Maimonides (AKA Moshe ben Maimon or Abu 'Imran Musa ben Maimun ibn 'Abd Allah or, from a He...
- Albertus Magnus Albertus Magnus (AKA St. Albert the Great or Albert of Cologne) (c. 1200 - 1280) was a 13th Centu...
- Roger Bacon Roger Bacon (AKA Doctor Mirabilis, meaning "wonderful teacher") (1214 - 1294) was a 13th Century ...
- St. Thomas Aquinas St. Thomas Aquinas (AKA Thomas of Aquin or Aquino) (c. 1225 - 1274) was an Italian philosopher an...
- John Duns Scotus John Duns Scotus (often known simply as Duns Scotus) (c. 1266 - 1308) was a Scottish philosopher ...
- William of Ockham William of Ockham (or William of Occam) (c. 1285 - 1348) was an English Franciscan friar, philoso...
- Desiderius Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus (AKA Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus or Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam) (1466 ...
- Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (1469 - 1527) was an Italian philosopher, political theorist,...
- Sir Thomas More Sir Thomas More (AKA St. Thomas More) (1478 - 1535) was an English philosopher, scholar, statesma...
- Sir Francis Bacon Sir Francis Bacon (Baron Verulam, 1st Viscount St Alban) (1561 - 1626) was an English philosopher...
Modern
- Jeremy Bentham Jeremy Bentham (1748 - 1832) was an English philosopher, political radical and legal and social r...
- Johann Gottlieb Fichte Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762 - 1814) was a German philosopher, and one of the founding figures of...
- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hege Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (often known as G. W. F. Hegel or Georg Hegel) (1770 - 1831) was a ...
- Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (1775 - 1854) was a German philosopher, and one of the quintes...
- Arthur Schopenhauer Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860) was a German philosopher, and an important figure in the German...
- Auguste Comte Auguste Comte (full name Isidore Marie Auguste François Xavier Comte) (1798 - 1857) was a French ...
- Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882) was an American philosopher, essayist and poet of the early Mod...
- John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist and Member of Parl...
- Søren Aabye Kierkegaard Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813 - 1855) was a 19th Century Danish philosopher and theologian. Altho...
- Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) was an American philosopher, naturalist, writer and political a...
- Karl Heinrich Marx Karl Heinrich Marx (1818 - 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist and revolutionary o...
- Charles Sanders Peirce Charles Sanders Peirce (often known as C. S. Peirce) (1839 - 1914) was a 20th Century American ph...
- William James William James (1842 - 1910) was a 20th Century American philosopher and psychologist, and is gene...
- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844 - 1900) was a 19th Century German philosopher and philologist. ...
- Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege (1848 - 1925) was a German mathematician, logician and philosopher...
- John Dewey John Dewey (1859 - 1952) was a 20th Century American philosopher, psychologist and educational re...
- Edmund Gustav Albrecht Husserl Edmund Gustav Albrecht Husserl (1859 - 1938) was a Moravian-German philosopher and mathematician ...
- Alfred North Whitehead Alfred North Whitehead (AKA A. N. Whitehead) (1861 - 1947) was a British mathematician, logician ...
- Bertrand Arthur William Russell Bertrand Arthur William Russell (3rd Earl Russell) (AKA Sir Bertrand Russell) (1872 - 1970) was a...
- George Edward Moore George Edward Moore (usually known as G. E. Moore) (1873 - 1958) was a 20th Century English philo...
- Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein (1889 - 1951) was an Austrian philosopher and logician, and has ...
- Martin Heidegger Martin Heidegger (1889 - 1976) was a 20th Century German philosopher. He was one of the most orig...
- Gilbert Ryle Gilbert Ryle (1900 - 1976) was a 20th Century British philosopher, mainly associated with the Ord...
- Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (1905 - 1980) was a French philosopher, writer and political acti...
- Willard Van Orman Quine Willard Van Orman Quine (AKA W. V. O. Quine, or "Van" to his friends) (1908 - 2000) was an Americ...
- Sir Alfred Jules ("Freddie") Ayer Sir Alfred Jules ("Freddie") Ayer (better known as Alfred Ayer or A. J. Ayer) (1910 - 1989) was a...
- Michel Foucault Michel Foucault (1926 - 1984) was a French philosopher, historian, critic and sociologist, often ...
- Jacques Derrida Jacques Derrida (1930 - 2004) was a 20th Century Algerian-born French philosopher, best known as ...
A
- Abelard Peter Abelard (AKA Petrus Abaelardus or Pierre Abélard) (1079 - 1142) was a 12th Century French p...
- Albertus Magnus Albertus Magnus (AKA St. Albert the Great or Albert of Cologne) (c. 1200 - 1280) was a 13th Centu...
- Anaxagoras Anaxagoras (c. 500 - 428 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Ionia, although h...
- Anaximander Anaximander (c. 610 - 546 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic philosopher from the Greek city of Mile...
- Anaximenes Anaximenes (c. 585 - 525 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic philosopher from the Greek city of Milet...
- St. Anselm of Canterbury St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033 - 1109) was an Italian philosopher and theologian of the Medieval ...
- St. Thomas Aquinas St. Thomas Aquinas (AKA Thomas of Aquin or Aquino) (c. 1225 - 1274) was an Italian philosopher an...
- Aristotle Aristotle (384 - 322 B.C.) was an important Greek philosopher from the Socratic (or Classical) pe...
- St. Augustine of Hippo St. Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354 - 430) was an Algerian-Roman philosopher and theologian of the l...
- Averroës (Ibn Rushd) Averroës (AKA Ibn Rushd or Ibn Roschd or, in full, Abu al-Walid Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd) (11...
- Avicenna (Ibn Sina) Avicenna (AKA Ibn Sina or Ibn Seena or, in full, Abu Ali al-Hussain Ibn Abdallah Ibn Sina) (980 -...
- Alfred Ayer Sir Alfred Jules ("Freddie") Ayer (better known as Alfred Ayer or A. J. Ayer) (1910 - 1989) was a...
B
- Bacon, Roger Roger Bacon (AKA Doctor Mirabilis, meaning "wonderful teacher") (1214 - 1294) was a 13th Century ...
- Bacon, Francis Sir Francis Bacon (Baron Verulam, 1st Viscount St Alban) (1561 - 1626) was an English philosopher...
- Bentham Jeremy Bentham (1748 - 1832) was an English philosopher, political radical and legal and social r...
- Berkeley Bishop George Berkeley (1685 - 1753) was an Irish philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment, best k...
- Boethius Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (usually known simply as Boethius) (c. 480 - 525) was a 6th Ce...
- Burke Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797) was an Anglo-Irish philosopher, statesman and political theorist of th...
C
- Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero (usually known simply as Cicero) (106 - 43 B.C.) was a Roman philosopher, o...
- Comte Auguste Comte (full name Isidore Marie Auguste François Xavier Comte) (1798 - 1857) was a French ...
D
- Democritus Democritus (c. 460 - 370 B.C.), sometimes known as the "Laughing Philosopher", was a Pre-Socratic...
- Derrida Jacques Derrida (1930 - 2004) was a 20th Century Algerian-born French philosopher, best known as ...
- Descartes René Descartes (1596 - 1650) was a French philosopher, mathematician, scientist and writer of the...
- Dewey John Dewey (1859 - 1952) was a 20th Century American philosopher, psychologist and educational re...
- Diogenes Diogenes of Sinope (aka Diogenes the Cynic) (c. 412 - 323 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher of the So...
E
- Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882) was an American philosopher, essayist and poet of the early Mod...
- Empedocles Empedocles (c. 490 - 430 B.C.) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, usually considered a member ...
- Epictetus Epictetus (c. A.D. 55 - 135) was a Greek/Roman philosopher of the Hellenistic period. He managed ...
- Epicurus Epicurus (341 - 270 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher of the Hellenistic period. He was the founder a...
- Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus (AKA Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus or Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam) (1466 ...
F
- Fichte Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762 - 1814) was a German philosopher, and one of the founding figures of...
- Foucault Michel Foucault (1926 - 1984) was a French philosopher, historian, critic and sociologist, often ...
- Frege Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege (1848 - 1925) was a German mathematician, logician and philosopher...
G
< div class="catalog-section" >H
- Hegel Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (often known as G. W. F. Hegel or Georg Hegel) (1770 - 1831) was a ...
- Heidegger Martin Heidegger (1889 - 1976) was a 20th Century German philosopher. He was one of the most orig...
- Heraclitus Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 - 475 B.C.) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Ephesus, on t...
- Hobbes Thomas Hobbes (1588 - 1679) was an English philosopher of the Age of Reason. His famous 1651 book...
- Hume David Hume (1711 - 1776) was a Scottish philosopher, economist and historian of the Age of Enligh...
- Husserl Edmund Gustav Albrecht Husserl (1859 - 1938) was a Moravian-German philosopher and mathematician ...
J
< div class="catalog-section" >K
- Kant Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804) was a German philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. He is regarded ...
- Kierkegaard Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813 - 1855) was a 19th Century Danish philosopher and theologian. Altho...
L
- Leibniz Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (also Leibnitz or von Leibniz) (1646 - 1716) was a German philosopher, ...
- Locke John Locke (1632 - 1704) was an English philosopher of the Age of Reason and early Age of Enlight...
M
- Machiavelli Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (1469 - 1527) was an Italian philosopher, political theorist,...
- Maimonides Moses Maimonides (AKA Moshe ben Maimon or Abu 'Imran Musa ben Maimun ibn 'Abd Allah or, from a He...
- Malebranche Nicolas Malebranche (1638 - 1715) was a French philosopher of the Age of Reason. He was initially...
- Marcus Marcus Aurelius (c. A.D. 121 - 180) was a Roman Emperor (the last of the "Five Good Emperors") an...
- Marx Karl Heinrich Marx (1818 - 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist and revolutionary o...
- Mill John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist and Member of Parl...
- Moore George Edward Moore (usually known as G. E. Moore) (1873 - 1958) was a 20th Century English philo...
- More Sir Thomas More (AKA St. Thomas More) (1478 - 1535) was an English philosopher, scholar, statesma...
N
< div class="catalog-section" >O
< div class="catalog-section" >P
- Parmenides Parmenides of Elea (c. 515 - 450 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and founder an...
- Pascal Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662) was a French philosopher, mathematician and scientist of the Age of R...
- Peirce Charles Sanders Peirce (often known as C. S. Peirce) (1839 - 1914) was a 20th Century American ph...
- Philo Philo of Alexandria (AKA Philo Judaeus, Philo the Jew and Yedidia) (c. 20 B.C. - A.D. 50) was a J...
- Plato Plato (c. 428 - 348 B.C.) was a hugely important Greek philosopher and mathematician from the Soc...
- Plotinus Plotinus (c. A.D. 204 - 270) was an Egyptian/Greek/Roman philosopher of the Hellenistic period. H...
- Protagoras Protagoras (c. 490 - 420 B.C.) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Thrace in northern Greec...
- Pyrrho Pyrrho (AKA Pyrrho of Elis) (360 - 270 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher of the Hellenistic period, f...
- Pythagoras Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570 - 490 B.C.) was an early Greek Pre-Socratic philosopher and mathemati...
Q
< div class="catalog-section" >R
- Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778) was a French philosopher and writer of the Age of Enlightenme...
- Russell Bertrand Arthur William Russell (3rd Earl Russell) (AKA Sir Bertrand Russell) (1872 - 1970) was a...
- Ryle Gilbert Ryle (1900 - 1976) was a 20th Century British philosopher, mainly associated with the Ord...
S
- Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (1905 - 1980) was a French philosopher, writer and political acti...
- Schelling Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (1775 - 1854) was a German philosopher, and one of the quintes...
- Schopenhauer Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860) was a German philosopher, and an important figure in the German...
- Scotus John Duns Scotus (often known simply as Duns Scotus) (c. 1266 - 1308) was a Scottish philosopher ...
- Smith Adam Smith (1723 - 1790) was a Scottish philosopher and political economist of the Age of Enlight...
- Socrates Socrates (c. 469 - 399 B.C.) was a hugely important Greek philosopher from the Classical period (...
- Spinoza Baruch Spinoza (AKA Benedict Spinoza) (1632 - 1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese Jewish ...
T
- Thales Thales of Miletus (c. 624 - 546 B.C.) was an early Pre-Socratic philosopher, mathematician and as...
- Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) was an American philosopher, naturalist, writer and political a...
V
< div class="catalog-section" >W
- Whitehead Alfred North Whitehead (AKA A. N. Whitehead) (1861 - 1947) was a British mathematician, logician ...
- Wittgenstein Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein (1889 - 1951) was an Austrian philosopher and logician, and has ...