Socrates and Plato
Socrates (c. 470–399 BCE) is known for the Socratic method, a form of cooperative dialogue. He wrote nothing himself; his ideas come mainly through his student Plato (c. 428–348 BCE).
Aristotle and Confucius
Aristotle (384–322 BCE) studied logic, ethics, politics, and natural science. Confucius (551–479 BCE) emphasized moral virtue, ritual, and proper social relationships in ancient China.
Modern Influential Thinkers
René Descartes (1596–1650) advanced rationalism and dualism. Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) shaped modern ethics and epistemology. For a broader timeline of major philosophers, see this overview from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
