There are many different philosophical currents and schools in the world. Some praise spiritual values, while others preach a more essential way of life. However, they have one thing in common - they are all invented by man. That is why, before you start studying the school of thought, you should understand what a philosopher is.
In this case, it is necessary not only to find out the meaning of this word, but also to look back into the past in order to remember those who stood at the origins of the first schools of philosophy. After all, this is the only way to comprehend the true essence of the question of who a philosopher is.
People dedicated to great reflections
So, as always, the story should start with the main one. In this case, who is a philosopher. Indeed, in the future this word will appear very often in the text, which means that it will simply not work without a clear understanding of its meaning.
Well, a philosopher is a person who has devoted himself entirely to thinking about the essence of being. At the same time, his main desire is the desire to understand the essence of what is happening, so to speak, to look behind the scenes of life and death. As a matter of fact, such reflections turn an ordinary person into a philosopher.
It should be noted that such reflections are not just a passing hobby or fun, this is the meaning of his life or even, if you like, calling. That is why great philosophers devoted all their free time to resolving the issues that tormented them.
Differences in philosophical currents
The next step is to realize that all philosophers are different. There is no universal view of the world or the order of things. Even if thinkers adhere to the same idea or worldview, there will always be differences in their judgments.
This is due to the fact that the views of philosophers on the world depend on their personal experience and ability to analyze facts. That is why hundreds of different philosophical currents have seen the light of day. And all of them are unique in their essence, which makes this science very multifaceted and informative.
And yet everything has its beginning, including philosophy. Therefore, it would be very logical to turn our eyes to the past and talk about those who founded this discipline. Namely, about ancient thinkers.
Socrates - the first of the great minds of antiquity
We should start with the one who is considered a legend in the world of great thinkers - Socrates. He was born and lived in Ancient Greece in 469-399 BC. Unfortunately, this learned man did not keep a record of his thoughts, so most of his sayings have come down to us only thanks to the efforts of his students.
He was the first of the people to think aboutwho is a philosopher. Socrates believed that life has meaning only when a person lives it meaningfully. He condemned his compatriots for forgetting about morality and wallowing in their own vices.
Alas, Socrates' life ended tragically. The local authorities called his teaching heresy and sentenced him to death. He did not wait for the execution of the sentence and voluntarily took the poison.
Great Philosophers of Ancient Greece
It is Ancient Greece that is considered the place where the Western school of philosophy originated. Many great minds of antiquity were born in this country. And although some of their teachings were rejected by their contemporaries, one should not forget that the first scientists-philosophers appeared here more than 2.5 thousand years ago.
Plato
Of all the disciples of Socrates, Plato was the most successful. Having absorbed the wisdom of the teacher, he continued to study the world around him and its laws. Moreover, with the support of the people, he founded the great Academy of Athens. It was here that he taught young students the basics of philosophical ideas and concepts.
Plato was sure that his teachings could give people the wisdom they desperately need. He argued that only an educated and sober-minded person can create an ideal state.
Aristotle
Aristotle did a lot for the development of Western philosophy. This Greek graduated from the Academy of Athens, and one of his teachers was Plato himself. Since Aristotle was distinguished by special erudition, he was soon called to teach in the palace.steward. According to historical records, he taught Alexander the Great himself.
Roman philosophers and thinkers
The works of Greek thinkers greatly influenced the cultural life in the Roman Empire. Encouraged by the texts of Plato and Pythagoras, the first innovatory Roman philosophers began to appear at the beginning of the 2nd century BC. And although most of their theories resembled Greek ones, there were still some differences in their teachings. In particular, this was due to the fact that the Romans had their own concepts of what the highest good was.
Marcus Terentius Varro
One of the first philosophers of Rome was Varro, who was born in the 1st century BC. During his life he wrote many works devoted to moral and spiritual values. He also put forward an interesting theory that every nation has four stages of development: childhood, youth, maturity and old age.
Mark Tullius Cicero
This is one of the most famous philosophers of ancient Rome. Such fame came to Cicero because he was finally able to combine Greek spirituality and the Roman love of citizenship.
Today he is appreciated for being one of the first to position philosophy not as an abstract science, but as part of everyday human life. Cicero managed to convey to people the idea that everyone, if desired, can comprehend the art of thinking. In particular, that is why he introduced his own dictionary, which explains the essence of many philosophical terms.
The Great Philosopher of the Middle Kingdom
Manythe idea of democracy is attributed to the Greeks, but on the other side of the globe, a great sage was able to put forward the same theory, relying only on his own convictions. It is this ancient philosopher who is considered the pearl of Asia.
Confucius
China has always been considered a country of sages, but among all others, special attention should be paid to Confucius. This great philosopher lived in 551-479. BC e. and was a very famous person. The main task of his teaching was the preaching of the principles of high morality and personal virtues.
Names everyone knows
As the years passed, more and more people wanted to contribute to the development of philosophical ideas. More and more new schools and movements were born, and lively discussions between their representatives became the usual norm. However, even in such conditions, there were those whose thoughts for the world of philosophers were like a breath of fresh air.
Avicenna
Abu Ali Hussein ibn Abdallah ibn Sina - this is the full name of Avicenna, the great Arab scientist and philosopher. He was born in 980 on the territory of the Persian Empire. During his life he wrote more than a dozen scientific treatises related to physics and philosophy.
Besides this, he founded his own school. In it, he taught gifted young men medicine, in which, by the way, he succeeded very much.
Thomas Aquinas
In 1225, a boy named Thomas was born. His parents could not even imagine that in the future he would become one of the most outstanding minds in the philosophical world. He has written many works of thought on the Christian world.
Moreover, in 1879 the Catholic Church recognized his writings and made them the official philosophy for Catholics.
Rene Descartes
He is better known as the father of the modern form of thought. Many people know his catchphrase "If I think, then I exist." In his works, he considered the mind as the main weapon of man. The scientist studied the works of philosophers of different eras and conveyed them to his contemporaries.
Besides this, Descartes made many new discoveries in other sciences, in particular in mathematics and physics.
