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Timeline: Philosophy

Years: c. 550 BCE - 1945	Subject: Philosophy
Publisher: HistoryWorld	Online Publication Date: 2012
Current online version: 2012	eISBN: 9780191737107

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BCE CE

Year	Event
c. 550 BCE	K'ung-fu-tzu, or Confucius, teaches a practical philosophy which will profoundly influence Chinese history Go to Confucianism in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century BCE Literature Politics Asia East Asia China
c. 500 BCE	Parmenides is the first pure philosopher, using logic as a philosophical tool in his poem Nature See this event in other timelines: 6th century BCE 5th century BCE Greek literature Literature Europe Greece The Chinese philosophy of alternating opposites is expressed as yin and yang Go to Taoism in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century BCE 5th century BCE Literature Asia East Asia China
c. 450 BCE	The Sophists, professional philosophers, travel round Greece educating the sons of the rich Go to sophists in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 5th century BCE Greek literature Literature Europe Greece
423 BCE	Socrates is now sufficiently prominent to be satirized in Clouds, a comedy by Aristophanes Go to Aristophanes (c.448–c.380 bc) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 5th century BCE Greek literature Ancient Athens Performing arts Theatre Literature Drama Poetry Europe Greece
c. 400 BCE	Daodejing ('The Way and the Power') is the book of Daoism Go to Daoism in A Dictionary of Asian Mythology (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 5th century BCE 4th century BCE Literature Religion Asia East Asia China
399 BCE	Socrates, convicted in Athens of impiety, is sentenced to death and drinks the hemlock Go to Socrates (469–399 bc) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 4th century BCE Greek literature Ancient Athens Literature Social and domestic Europe Greece Society
387 BCE	Plato establishes a school in Akademeia, a suburb of Athens Go to Academy in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 4th century BCE Greek literature Ancient Athens Literature Europe Greece
c. 380 BCE	Central to Plato's philosophy is the theory that there are higher Forms of reality, of which our senses perceive only a transient shadow Go to Plato (c. 429–c. 347 bc) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 4th century BCE Greek literature Literature Europe Greece
367 BCE	Aristotle, at the age of seventeen, comes to Athens to join Plato's academy Go to Aristotle (384–322 bc) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 4th century BCE Greek literature Ancient Athens Literature Europe Greece
c. 330 BCE	Aristotle tackles wide-ranging subjects on a systematic basis, leaving to his successors an encyclopedia of contemporary thought Go to Aristotle (384–322 bc) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 4th century BCE Greek literature Greek science Literature Science Europe Greece
c. 170	Marcus Aurelius is rare among emperors in writing twelve books of philosophical Meditations Go to Aurelius, Marcus in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 2nd century Latin literature Roman empire Literature Europe Italy Empires
c. 244	Plotinus, moving from Alexandria to Rome, teaches the influential philosophy later known as Neo-Platonism Go to Plotinus (205–270) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century Latin literature Literature Alexandria Africa North Africa Egypt Europe Italy
c. 413	Prompted by the fall of Rome to the Visigoths, St Augustine undertakes a great work of Christian philosophy, the City of God Go to City of God in The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 5th century Roman empire Literature Religion Christianity Rome Africa North Africa Empires
c. 525	Boethius, in prison in Pavia and awaiting execution, writes the Consolation of Philosophy Go to Boethius (c. 480–524) in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century Latin literature Literature Europe Italy
529	Justinian closes down the schools of Athens, famous for their tradition of pagan philosophy Go to pericope in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century Greek literature Byzantine empire Ancient Athens Literature Persecution and repression Europe Greece Empires
c. 930	Saadiah Gaon writes a seminal work of Jewish philosophy in his Book of Beliefs and Opinions Go to Saadiah Gaon in A Concise Companion to the Jewish Religion (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 10th century Literature Religion Judaism Asia West Asia Palestine and Israel
c. 1020	The Persian scholar Avicenna, author of encyclopedic works on philosophy and medicine, spends the last part of his life in Isfahan Go to Avicenna (980–1037) in The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 11th century Literature Asia Central Asia Iran (Persia)
1078	Anselm includes in his Proslogion his famous 'ontological proof' of the existence of God Go to ontological argument in The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 11th century Literature Literature in English Religion Christianity Europe France
c. 1180	In Cordoba the Muslim philosopher Averroës writes commentaries on Aristotle that are influential throughout medieval Europe Go to Averroës in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 12th century Literature Europe Spain In Cairo the Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides writes, in Arabic, a much translated text with the endearing title Guide to the Perplexed Go to Maimonides, Moses (1135–1204) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 12th century Literature Judaism Africa North Africa Egypt
c. 1266	Thomas Aquinas begins the outstanding work of medieval scholasticism, his Summa Theologiae Go to Summa Theologiae in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 13th century Literature Europe Italy
c. 1300	Duns Scotus, known as the Subtle Doctor in medieval times, later provides humanists with the name Dunsman or dunce Go to Duns Scotus, Bl Johannes (c.1265–1308) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Britain 1066-1500 13th century 14th century Literature English literature Literature in English British Isles Europe Britain
c. 1340	William of Ockham advocates paring down arguments to their essentials, an approach later known as Ockham's Razor Go to Ockham's razor n. in A Dictionary of Psychology (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Britain 1066-1500 14th century Literature English literature Literature in English British Isles Europe Britain
1462	In keeping with his personal interest in Plato, Cosimo de' Medici founds a Platonic Academy in Florence Go to Plato (c. 429–c. 347 bc) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Italian Renaissance Literature Italian literature Florence Europe Italy
c. 1595	The writings of Matteo Ricci introduce Kung Fu Tzu to Europe under a Latin version of his name - Confucius Go to Confucius in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 16th century Literature Asia East Asia China
1644	In his Principles of Philosophy Descartes gives priority to reason, summed up in his famous phrase cogito ergo sum Go to Descartes, René (1596–1650) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Literature French literature Europe France
c. 1677	Baruch Spinoza's Ethics, dealing with God, the mind and the emotions, is published shortly after his death Go to Spinoza, Benedictus de (1632–77) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Literature Europe Netherlands
1690	John Locke publishes his Essay concerning Human Understanding, arguing that all knowledge is based on experience Go to Locke, John (1632–1704) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Literature English literature Literature in English British Isles Europe Britain
1710	25-year-old George Berkeley attacks Locke in his Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge Go to Berkeley, George (1685–1753) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1714	In his Monadology Leibniz describes a universe consisting of forceful interactive parts that he calls 'monads' Go to Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Literature German literature Germany
1739	David Hume publishes his Treatise of Human Nature, in which he applies to the human mind the principles of experimental science Go to Hume, David (1711–76) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1762	Two books in this year, émile and Du Contrat Social, prompt orders for the arrest of Jean-Jacques Rousseau Go to Rousseau, Jean‐Jacques (1712–78) in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Literature French literature Fiction Europe France
1781	German philosopher Immanuel Kant publishes the first of his three 'critiques', The Critique of Pure Reason Go to Kant, Immanuel (1724–1804) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Literature German literature Germany
1789	In his Principles Jeremy Bentham defines 'utility' as that which enhances pleasure and reduces pain Go to Bentham, Jeremy (1748–1832) in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (7 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1794	In his Science of Knowledge Johann Gottlieb Fichte contrasts the I, or Ego, and its opposing non-I, or non-Ego See this event in other timelines: 18th century Literature German literature Germany
1807	In Phenomenology of Spirit Friedrich Hegel interprets history as the advance of the human mind, often through thesis, antithesis and synthesis Go to Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich (1770–1831) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature German literature Germany
1818	In The World as Will and Idea Schopenhauer develops the bleakest possible view of the effects of the human will Go to Schopenhauer, Arthur in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature German literature Germany
1836	In his essay, Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson sets out the fundamentals of the philosophy of Transcendentalism Go to Emerson, Ralph Waldo (1803–82) in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature American literature Literature in English North America United States
1840	The first issue of the quarterly magazine The Dial is issued by the Transcendentalists meeting at Ralph Waldo Emerson's home Go to Dial, The (July 1840–April 1844) in The Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature American literature Literature in English North America United States
c. 1845	With his emphasis on the subjective experience of human Existenz, the Danish philosopher Kierkegaard plants the seed of existentialism Go to Kierkegaard, Søren Aabye (1813–55) in The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature Europe Denmark
1859	In On Liberty John Stuart Mill makes the classic liberal case for the priority of the freedom of the individual Go to Mill, John Stuart (1806–73) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1862	Unpublished American poet Emily Dickinson writes more than 300 poems within the year Go to Dickinson, Emily Elizabeth (1830–86) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature American literature Literature in English North America United States
1872	Pragmatism emerges as a philosophical approach in meetings of the Metaphysical Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts Go to pragmatism in A Dictionary of Sociology (3 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature American literature Literature in English North America United States
1883	In Thus Spake Zarathustra Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche envisages the übermensch ('superman') enhancing human existence Go to Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm (1844–1900) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature German literature Germany
1884	German mathematician Gottlob Frege publishes Grundlagen der Arithmetik ('Foundations of Arithmetic'), linking mathematics and logic Go to Frege, (Friedrich Ludwig) Gottlob (1848–1925) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature German literature Science Germany
1902	US philosopher William James publishes his influential book The Varieties of Religious Experience Go to James, William (1842–1910) in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Literature American literature Literature in English North America United States
1903	British philosopher G.E. Moore publishes Principia Ethica, an attempt to apply logic to ethics Go to Moore, G. E. (1873–1958) in The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Literature in English (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Literature English literature Literature in English War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1905	US philosopher George Santayana publishes the first of the five volumes of his Life of Reason Go to Santayana, George (1863–1952) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Literature American literature Literature in English North America United States
1907	US philosopher William James publishes Pragmatism: a New Name for Old Ways of Thinking Go to Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking in The Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Literature American literature Literature in English North America United States
1912	Ludwig Wittgenstein moves to Cambridge to study philosophy under Bertrand Russell Go to Wittgenstein, Ludwig (1889–1951) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1913	Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell complete a work of mathematical logic, Principia Mathematica Go to Newton, Sir Isaac (1642–1727) in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1921	Ludwig Wittgenstein publishes his influential study of the philosophy of logic, Tractatus Logico Philosophicus Go to Wittgenstein, Ludwig (1889–1951) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 20th century Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1923	In I and Thou the Austrian theologian Martin Buber interprets religion in terms of the subjective experience of interpersonal relationships Go to Buber, Martin (1878–1965) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Literature Religion Christianity Austria
1927	In Being and Time German philosopher Martin Heidegger makes an existentialist case with Dasein ('Being There') as the central theme Go to Heidegger, Martin (1889–1976) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Literature German literature Germany
1936	In Language, Truth and Logic 26-year-old A.J. Ayer produces a classic exposition of Logical Positivism Go to logical positivism in A Dictionary of Critical Theory (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1943	French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre expounds his theory of existentialism in Being and Nothingness ('L'Être et le néant') Go to Sartre, Jean‐Paul (1905–80) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Literature French literature Europe France
1945	Austrian philosopher Karl Popper publishes The Open Society and its Enemies Go to Popper, Karl (1902–94) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Literature Austria

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date: 03 December 2023

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