The 15 most important and famous Greek philosophers

Ancient Greece was an especially prolific period for culture and philosophy. In fact, it is not for nothing that the history of Western thought is not explained without taking into account the great Greek thinkers.

In this ranking of the 15 most important Greek philosophers We are going to try to synthesize the work of each of the most influential thinkers who left a more outstanding legacy.

• Related article: "The 10 most interesting philosophical theories"

Greatest philosophers of Ancient Greece

When we speak of Ancient Greece we refer to the historical period that goes from the year 1200 a. C. until the year 146 a. C., moment in which the Doric invasion in the Hellenic region took place.

Greek culture was so influential that even the Roman Empire adopted much of the thinking left by Plato, Socrates, Heraclitus, and many others.

These thinkers managed to make the thirst for knowledge their way of life. We are going to know which were the 15 most important Greek philosophers. We left out thinkers who would also deserve an honorable mention, as is the case of

Gorgias of Leontinos, Diogenes Laertius, Plutarch, Hippocrates, and many others.

15. Heraclitus of Ephesus (540 - 480 BC. C.)

Known by his nickname "The Dark One of Ephesus", Heraclitus was born in a region of present-day Turkey. His work was aphoristic in the form of endless poems, so the knowledge that he developed required a detailed study.

He brought valuable insights into the world of physics, theorizing about a ‘natural principle’ and the incessant change of matter. His scientific postulates were the object of analysis in later times.

• Know more: "The 35 best famous phrases of Heraclitus"

14. Epicurus of Samos (341 - 270 BC. C.)

Epicurus was one of the most famous philosophers of Ancient Greece. He developed atomism and his philosophy of life was rational hedonism.. In search of hedonic pleasure, he tried to abandon any form of pain on the basis of a frugal and detached life.

Unfortunately, few of Epicurus's writings were preserved after his death, so we owe his legacy to the poetry of Lucretius and to the correspondence that he maintained with another philosopher: Diogenes Laercio.

• Know more: "The 40 best phrases of Epicurus of Samos"

13. Sophocles (496 - 406 BC. C.)

Born in the city of Colono, Sophocles was a very prominent thinker and tragic poet. Although his field of thought was more literature and dramaturgy than philosophy, his works were steeped in reflections and knowledge that other philosophers would later develop. He was the author of the famous Antigone Y King Oedipus, considered authentic masterpieces of the Greek tragic theater.

Although he was a prolific writer, only seven of his Greek tragedies were preserved, which became references of the genre for centuries.

• Know more: "The 25 best famous phrases of Sophocles"

12. Anaxagoras of Clazómenas (500 - 428 BC. C.)

Anaxagoras was a pre-Socratic philosopher who was the pioneer in introducing the notion of nous (νοῦς, mind or thought). Born in Clazómenas, in a region of present-day Turkey, he lived in Athens from his teens.

For this Greek thinker, the philosophical ideas that he worked always revolved around nature itself. He left us a huge legacy with his descriptions of nature and the universe. In his texts, he argued that every element consisted of or came from another element, and in turn belonged to a whole.

• Know more: "The 13 best famous phrases of Anaxagoras"

11. Diogenes of Sinope (404 - 323 BC. C.)

Born in Sinope, by the Black Sea, Diogenes the Cynic was one of the philosophers of Ancient Greece with a more ironic and humorous style. Although few manuscripts of Diogenes reached us, we learn many of his ideas from his faithful disciples and students.

He lavished himself on the art of discussion and oratory, and rejected any conventionalism of his time. refugee in a frugal and austere life, although he made no attempt to reform or change what he he contested. His disciple Diogenes de Laercio was the one who recorded the master's knowledge and theories.

10. Empedocles of Agrigento (495 - 444 BC. C.)

Politician and philosopher, Empedocles devised the theory of the four roots: four basic elements (water, earth, fire and air) that are the essential components of everything that exists. He is also the author of the two "conditions" or "forces" of the world, from which he explained the problems of his time, such as corruption, hate and love. The first force united the existing, while the second separated it.

His legacy originated a wave of poets and thinkers who, motivated by the theories of Empedocles and its four elements, started the field of atomic physics.

• Know more: "The 12 best phrases of Empedocles"

9. Parmenides of Elea (530 - 470 BC) C.)

In a southern region of Magna Graecia, Parmenides was born, a poet and thinker who questioned himself about existence.. "Is it or is it not?", A question that he tried to answer and that was the object of analysis by philosophy for centuries, being one of the paradoxes that has caused more rivers of ink to flow.

In the words of Parmenides, the signs of the way of truth were the concretion of what is and what is not. Based on this reasoning, he explained that a thing that is can never cease to be more than by itself. As we can see, it is a somewhat abstract and strange argument, but it gave rise to hundreds of theories and speculations in later times.

• Know more: "The 16 best phrases of Parmenides de Elea"

8. Pythagoras of Samos (569 - 475 BC) C.)

Recognized as the first pure mathematician in history, Pythagoras' contributions have been fundamental in the fields of philosophy, geometry and arithmetic. The known "Pythagoras theorem"He is still studied in primary schools, and he explains that" in every right triangle the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the legs. "

This thinker not only contributed to abstract and logical thinking, but also reflected on the moral laws of life, since his school focused many efforts on promoting a just and just life. balanced.

• Know more: "The 35 best famous phrases of Pythagoras"

7. Zeno of Elea (490 - 430 BC. C.)

Zeno of Elea was especially recognized for his theory of infinity, a series of arguments with which he tried to resolve the paradoxes and dilemmas about plurality and movement, concepts that, from a metaphysical plane, he questioned based on sensible logical arguments that were recorded in different manuscripts.

This pre-Socratic Greek philosopher began a journey of thought that many of his disciples (among the consisting of prominent names such as Meliso, Democritus, and Anaxagoras) continued and expanded after their death.

6. Thales of Miletus (624 - 546 BC. C.)

Master of other great Greek thinkers, such as Anaximenes, and father of ancient Greek philosophy, Thales of Miletus theorized about natural philosophy, the origin of the subject and also contributed great knowledge in science, geography and mathematics, where he left as a legacy the so-called 'theory of change'.

For this important Greek philosopher, water is the main and original element in the world, the beginning of all other things. This idea spread throughout Ancient Greece and dozens of later philosophers developed these notions.

• Know more: "The 32 best phrases of Thales of Miletus"

5. Democritus (460 - 370 a. C.)

Unique scientist and mathematician, Democritus was known as "the laughing philosopher", he brought great theories and knowledge to the world of mathematics, geometry and astronomy.

Through various experiments and reasoning he was able to draw his atomic theory of the universe, he argued that atoms are indivisible, whole, homogeneous particles and not visible to the naked eye. A consideration that science later demonstrated.

• Know more: "The 24 best phrases of Democritus, the Greek philosopher"

4. Anaximenes of Miletus (590 - 525 BC. C.)

Anaximenes of Miletus was one of the most important and famous philosophers of Ancient GreeceAlthough he was not only one of the first authors in philosophy but also contributed his wisdom to areas such as biology and geography. He is considered one of the first astronomers in history, since he was able to create the first image of the universe.

This fellow citizen and disciple of Thales of Miletus was studied and analyzed by later philosophers. One of the most important notions of him was the one that made reference to that the beginning of all things was infinite.

3. Aristotle (384 - 322 a. C.)

Considered the father of biology and logic, Aristotle founds the history of knowledge in the West. His legacy consists of more than 200 texts in which he theorizes and develops ideas around seven different areas of knowledge.

The creativity and depth of this philosopher, excellent in his writing and in the complexity of his approaches, not only meant a step forward in the thought of Ancient Greece but that many later thinkers would base his postulates on the ideas and experiences left by the great Aristotle.

• Know more: "The 100 best famous phrases of Aristotle"

2. Socrates (470 - 399 BC. C.)

Socrates, born in Athens, was one of the most important Greek philosophers. To him are due the questions about the reasoning itself, in addition to the Socratic method, which allowed thinkers wonder about their own behavior until they arrive at more certain and enduring statements.

He was Plato's teacher, who followed his philosophical keys and developed them.

• Know more: "70 great phrases of Socrates to understand the thought of him"

1. Plato (427 - 347 a. C.)

Disciple of Socrates, Plato developed the theology of his teacher to intertwine it with novel metaphysical approaches. Founder of the Academy In Athens, he taught his ethical theories, as well as dialectics and physics, where he also brought great insights.

Through these scientific and philosophical facets, Plato sought to create men much more educated and capable of governing themselves.

• Know more: "The 80 best phrases of Plato and his philosophy"
• And also: "The important contributions of Plato to the study of psychology"