 | | | GREATEST PHILOSOPHER | | | |
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| | A list of eminent philosophers which may help you when considering a candidate for nomination.
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Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-78) "Man was born free but everywhere he is in chains". Philosopher of the French Enlightenment
Ibn-Rushd (Averroes) (1126-98) - Introduced much of Aristotle to Medieval Europe; magisterial commentator on both Aristotle and Plato; also defended philosophy's role in Islam
Parmenides (c.510-450 BC) - Nothing changes, change and motion are illusions of the senses
Simone De Beauvoir (1908-86) Feminist existentialist; tried to make women subjects of their own lives; not objects of men's lives.
Confucius (6th / 5th century BC) - Founder of Confucianism; the highest moral ideal is jen (humanity or goodness) which is achievable by all; the rites and traditions of society are to be followed but not without question.
John Locke (1632-1704) Founder of British Empiricism; the mind is a tabula rasa (a blank canvas) in which knowledge arises from sensation and is perfected by reflection. Science is possible because the senses faithfully represent reality.
Democritus (460-370 BC) - Conceived the atomic theory of matter
Soren Kierkegaard (1813-55) - Suffering is necessary; the individual must stand alone against the crowd.
Epicurius (341-271 BC) - All sensations are true; pleasure is our natural goal.
Hildegaard of Bingen (1098-1179) - Medieval theologian who wrote Scivias, 'Know the Way' interpreting her own visions. Also a poet and musician.
Georg Hegel (1770-1831) Thesis, anti-thesis, synthesis - the inevitable dialectic of history.
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) - people are inherently selfish and need strong governance, otherwise anarchy will reign and life become "nasty brutish and short". Such social contract thinking influenced Rousseau, Spinoza and Locke.
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