With the capability of changing even adamant beliefs, it’s a Philosopher’s capacity to challenge whatever we hold truth or whatever we believe in.
Philosophers have lived through every generation of every time. Shaping views of the world with their meta-cognition, rationale, and ideologies, they have created theoretical facets of science, spirituality, and time.
It’s a philosopher’s nature to churn out the best in them while augmenting the reality and the perceptions. In this constant consideration of the philosophy of everything and everything about philosophy, history has marked some of the prominent philosophers who have lived among us.
Here’s a list of pivotal philosophers who kindled the world with their intellectuality in ways unspeakable!
1. Voltaire
A strong advocate of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and separation of church and state, Voltaire, born as François-Marie Arouet was a versatile writer and philosopher. Many of his works are prompted against tyranny, despotism and his criticism of the Roman Catholic Church.
Famous quote by Voltaire
Opinion has caused more trouble on this little earth than plagues or earthquakes.
2. Socrates
Considered to be a founding figure of Western Philosophy, Socrates was a Greek Philosopher who made no writings as such. Socrates and his work may still have been an enigma to the world if it wouldn’t have been for few contemporaries and followers and mostly, Plato, his student. He went on a trial where he was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens and was found guilty. Without holding any proper grounds of veracity to their claim, he was sentenced to death. He was executed by making him drink a cup of poisonous hemlock.
Famous quote by Socrates
By all means marry: If you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.
3. Plato
Plato is one of the world’s most renowned Philosopher. Highly influenced by Socrates, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and the Pythagoreans, this prolific philosopher was of Athenian descent. Most of his works were written in Ancient Greek. Plato became the mentor of Aristotle and Plato’s teacher was Socrates. Plato was the founder of the dialectic forms and Western political philosophy.
Famous quote by Plato
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
4. Aristotle
Aristotle made a poignant contribution to the philosophy of various subjects like physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theatre, music, rhetoric, psychology, linguistics, economics, politics and government. Aristotle’s intellect surpassed all levels of observational and theoretical studies.
Famous quote by Aristotle
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
5. Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher who exerted a great influence on Western philosophy and modern intellectual history. He was a prominent poet, cultural critic, composer, essayist, and Latin and Greek scholar. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was born October 15, 1844, his writings sustain on truth, morality, language, aesthetics, cultural theory, history, nihilism, power, consciousness, and the meaning of existence.
Famous quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby becomes a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.