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620 BCE
Timeline of Major Ethical Philosophers
The ancient Greek philosopher Thales was born in Miletus in Greek Ionia. Aristotle, the major source for Thales's philosophy and science, identified Thales as the first person to investigate the basic principles, the question of the originating substances of matter and, therefore, as the founder of the school of natural philosophy. Thales was interested in almost everything, investigating almost all areas of knowledge, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, engineering, and many more. -
610 BCE
Timeline of Major Ethical Philosophers
Anaximander was the first Greek to clearly distinguish planets from stars and used his principles to account for various natural phenomena, such as thunder and lightning, rainbows, earthquakes, and so on. -
427 BCE
Timeline of Major Ethical Philosophers
Socrates was the son of Sophroniscus, an Athenian stone mason and sculptor. He learned his father's craft and apparently practiced it for many years. He participated in the Peloponnesian War (431–04 B.C.E. ) when Athens was crushed by the Spartans, and he distinguished himself for his courage. Details of his early life are scarce, although he appears to have had no more than an ordinary Greek education before devoting his time almost completely to intellectual interests -
354 BCE
Timeline of Major Ethical Philosophers
Augustine
A North African Christian theologian and philosopher, his writings influenced the development of Western Christianity and philosophy. St. Augustine is a fourth-century philosopher whose revolutionary philosophy infused Christian doctrine with Neoplatonism. He is famous for being an inimitable Catholic theologian and for his agnostic contributions to Western philosophy. -
1225
Timeline of Major Ethical Philosophers
Following the tradition of the period, St. Thomas Aquinas was sent to the Abbey of Monte Cassino to train among Benedictine monks when he was just 5 years old. In Wisdom 8:19, St. Thomas Aquinas is described as "a witty child" who "had received a good soul." At Monte Cassino, the quizzical young boy repeatedly posed the question, "What is God?" to his benefactors. St. Thomas Aquinas remained at the monastery until he was 13 years old, when the political climate forced him to return to Naples.