Philosophy Timeline

A chronological journey through the key schools and theories in philosophical thought

This timeline presents philosophical schools and theories in approximate chronological order, based on when they originated or became influential. Some philosophical movements span multiple periods or have evolved significantly over time.

Ancient India (7th century BCE - present)

Jain Philosophy

non western philosophical schools

The Ancient Path of Non-Violence and Self-Discipline

Ancient Greece (6th century BCE)

Monism

metaphysics and ontology

The Unity of All Existence

Ancient Greece

Atheism

religious and spiritual philosophy

The Philosophical Rejection of God's Existence

Ancient times - present

Divine Command Theory

ethics and moral philosophy

Morality from the Almighty's Mandate

Ancient times - present

Moral Realism

ethics and moral philosophy

Exploring the Nature of Moral Facts

Ancient era

Mysticism

religious and spiritual philosophy

Direct Experience of Ultimate Reality

Ancient times - present

Panpsychism

mind and consciousness

Exploring the Notion that Consciousness is a Fundamental Aspect of Reality

Ancient Rome to present

Republicanism

political philosophy

A political philosophy rooted in liberty, civic virtue, and opposition to corruption.

Ancient era

Theism

religious and spiritual philosophy

Belief in the Existence of God(s)

non western philosophical schools

The Path of Liberation Through Understanding

5th century BCE

Confucianism

non western philosophical schools

Virtue Ethics in Social Harmony

Ancient Greece (5th century BCE)

Materialism/Physicalism

metaphysics and ontology

All That Exists is Physical

4th century BCE

Platonism

metaphysics and ontology

Exploring the Realm of Forms and the Foundation of Western Philosophy

Ancient Greece (4th century BCE)

Realism

metaphysics and ontology

The Philosophy of Mind-Independent Reality

Ancient Greece (4th century BCE)

Skepticism

epistemology

Questioning the Possibility of Knowledge

4th century BCE

Taoism

non western philosophical schools

Living in Harmony with the Natural Way

Ancient Greece (4th century BCE)

Virtue Ethics

ethics and moral philosophy

Cultivating Character and Moral Excellence

Warring States Period, China (5th-3rd century BCE)

Mohism

non western philosophical schools

A Philosophical School of Universal Love and Pragmatism

Warring States Period, China (475-221 BCE)

Legalism

non western philosophical schools

Understanding the Structure and Influence of Legalism in Chinese Philosophy

Ancient India (600 BCE - 1400 CE)

Charvaka (Materialism)

non western philosophical schools

The Doctrine of Here and Now

Ancient India (600 BCE - 1800 CE)

Nyaya School

non western philosophical schools

A Logical Approach to Understanding Reality

8th century

Advaita Vedanta

non western philosophical schools

Explore the profound non-dualistic philosophy that transcends the illusion of separation.

Medieval period

Natural Theology

religious and spiritual philosophy

Understanding God Through Reason and Nature

Medieval era (14th century)

Nominalism

metaphysics and ontology

Only Particular Objects Exist, Not Universals

Ancient India (7th-6th century BCE - 1500 CE)

Samkhya

non western philosophical schools

The Philosophical Dance of Duality and Evolution

17th century - present

Contractarianism

ethics and moral philosophy

The Philosophy of Social Contracts and Mutual Agreements

17th century - present

Dual-Aspect Theory

mind and consciousness

Bridging the Gap Between Mind and Matter

17th century

Dualism

metaphysics and ontology

Exploring the Mind-Body Division in Philosophy

17th century - present

Ethical Egoism

ethics and moral philosophy

The Philosophy of Self-Interest

17th century

Foundationalism

epistemology

Building Knowledge on Basic Beliefs

17th century

Pantheism

religious and spiritual philosophy

God as Identical with Nature and the Universe

17th century

Rationalism

epistemology

The Philosophy of Reason as the Primary Source of Knowledge

aesthetics

The Search for Universal Standards in Beauty

18th century

Conservatism

political philosophy

Balancing Tradition with Stability in the Ever-Changing World

17th - 18th century

Deism

religious and spiritual philosophy

God as Creator Who Doesn't Intervene

18th century

Deontology

ethics and moral philosophy

Morality Based on Rules and Duties

17th - 18th century

Empiricism

epistemology

Knowledge Through Sensory Experience

17th - 18th century

Liberalism

political philosophy

Individual Liberty and Equal Rights

18th century

Libertarianism

political philosophy

Unraveling the Philosophy of Individual Liberty and Minimal Government

18th century

Phenomenalism

metaphysics and ontology

The World as Collections of Sense Experiences

19th century

Agnosticism

religious and spiritual philosophy

The Philosophical Position of Not Knowing

late 19th century

Analytic Philosophy

logic and language

Unpacking Logic and Language to Understand Reality

19th century

Anarchism

political philosophy

A Society Without Hierarchical Authority

19th century - present

Continental Philosophy

general and metaphilosophy

Exploring the Rich and Diverse Landscape of Continental Thought

18th - 19th century

Idealism

metaphysics and ontology

Understanding the Philosophy of the Mind's Reality

mind and consciousness

Reality as Mental Constructs

19th century

Marxism

political philosophy

Revolutionizing society through class struggle and the abolishment of capitalism.

late 19th century

Pragmatism

epistemology

Truth as What Works in Practice

Late 19th century - present

Pragmatism

general and metaphilosophy

A Practical Philosophy for the Real World

late 18th - early 19th century

Utilitarianism

ethics and moral philosophy

The Greatest Happiness for the Greatest Number

aesthetics

Exploring the Subjectivity of Beauty and Art

Early 20th century - present

Analytic Philosophy

general and metaphilosophy

The Logical Lens for Philosophical Inquiry

20th century

Anti-Realism

metaphysics and ontology

Reality as Dependent on Mental Activity

early 20th century

Behaviorism

mind and consciousness

Understanding Human Behavior Through Observable Actions

20th century

Care Ethics

ethics and moral philosophy

Morality Based on Relationships and Interdependence

20th century

Coherentism

epistemology

Knowledge as a Web of Interconnected Beliefs

Late 20th century

Communitarianism

political philosophy

A philosophy that promotes the community as a central unit for understanding and evaluating social and political life.

20th century

Constructivism

epistemology

How We Build Our Knowledge of the World

late 20th century

Contextualism

epistemology

Understanding Knowledge Through Contextual Lenses

early 20th century

Critical Theory

political philosophy

Unpacking Power and Society Through a Critical Lens

late 20th century

Eliminative Materialism

mind and consciousness

Dismissing Folk Psychology for Neuroscience

19th - 20th century

Existentialism

general and metaphilosophy

Confronting the Human Condition and Finding Meaning

late 19th - early 20th century

Expressionism

aesthetics

Art as Emotional and Psychological Expression

political philosophy

Rethinking Power and Justice Through the Lens of Gender Equality

late 19th - early 20th century

Formalism

aesthetics

The Philosophy of Art as Pure Form

mid 20th century

Functionalism

mind and consciousness

Mental States Defined by Their Functional Role

Mid-20th century - present

Identity Theory

mind and consciousness

Understanding the Mind-Body Connection

late 20th century

Infinitism

epistemology

The Endless Chain of Reasons

19th - 20th century

Instrumentalism

aesthetics

Understanding the Utility-Driven Approach to Knowledge and Belief

early 20th century

Logical Positivism

logic and language

Verifying Meaning Through Scientific Observation

20th century - present

Moral Nihilism (Error Theory)

ethics and moral philosophy

Questioning the Existence of Moral Truths

20th century

Moral Relativism

ethics and moral philosophy

Morality Varies Between Cultures and Contexts

logic and language

Exploring the nuances of everyday language in philosophical thought

early 20th century

Phenomenology

mind and consciousness

The Study of Conscious Experience

late 20th century

Postmodernism

general and metaphilosophy

Challenging Grand Narratives and Universal Truths

Ancient Greece to present (flourished in early 20th century)

Process Philosophy

general and metaphilosophy

Understanding Change as the Core of Reality

20th century

Reliabilism

epistemology

Knowledge from Reliable Cognitive Processes

early 20th century

Semiotics

logic and language

The Study of Signs and Meaning-Making

Early-mid 20th century

Structuralism

general and metaphilosophy

Decoding the Underlying Structures of Meaning

early 20th century

Structuralism

logic and language

Understanding the Frameworks of Reality

1960s-present

Post-Structuralism

logic and language

Deconstructing the Structures of Meaning.

19th-20th centuries

Continental Philosophy

logic and language

Exploring the Rich Tapestry of European Thought