Timeline of Philosophy Trivia Quiz

Anselm of Canterbury (1033/4-1109) stressed the importance of the use of reason, in understanding faith and he is known for his argument that since God is the greatest imaginable being, then He must really exist. He wrote, among others, "Monologion", "Proslogion", "Responsio" and "Dialogues". All of these books were written before he became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093.

Scholasticism is the system of theology and philosophy taught in medieval European universities, based on Aristotelian logic and the writings of the early Christian Fathers and emphasizing tradition and dogma. Apart from the beginning of scholasticism, other major philosophical trends at this time were put forward by the Islamic scholar Avicenna (Ibn Sina) that included the "Active Intellect".

Peter Abelard (1079 - 1142) was a prominent philosopher and theologian known for his work in ethics and logic. His method of dialectical reasoning and his famous love affair with Héloïse are well-documented.

He authored various treatises on logic, understanding and languages such as "Logica ingredientibus (Logic for Advanced)", "Petri Abaelardi Glossae in Porphyrium (The Glosses of Peter Abailard on Porphyry)" and "Tractatus de intellectibus (A treatise on understanding)", all in the 12th century.

During this century there was a movement towards reconciliation of faith and reason by merging opinions that were put forward by theologians like Augustine and classical philosophers like Aristotle. There was great interest in translations of Greek and Arabic texts into Latin, which influenced to a great degree the philosophy of Europe.

Possibly the most influential philosopher of the 13th century, Aquinas (1225 - 1274) integrated Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology. His major work, the "Summa Theologica", addresses questions of existence, ethics, and the nature of God, emphasizing the compatibility of faith and reason.

Other key figures during this century include Duns Scotus and Roger Bacon.

A central figure of the 14th century, Ockham (1287 - 1347) is best known for his nominalism, which argued that universals are mere names and do not exist independently of particular things. His principle of parsimony, known as "Ockham's Razor", emphasized simplicity in explanations and became influential in both philosophy and science.

This century saw the continuation of the evolution of scholasticism and new ideas to challenge the established thought. Some of the key players include Marsilius of Padua and Meister Eckhart. The Black Death caused a great upheaval and led to questioning mortality and existence.

Pico della Mirandola (1463 - 1494) was a prominent humanist philosopher known for his work "Oration on the Dignity of Man", which argues for the unique potential of human beings to shape their own destinies through free will and intellectual pursuit.

During this period there was a shift towards more practical and individual-centered inquiries, renewed interest in classical texts, a focus on human experience, and the development of new philosophical ideas. This Renaissance of Humanism emphasized the study of classical texts especially those concerning Greek and Roman philosophers.

Desiderius Erasmus (1466 - 1536) was a leading humanist who emphasized the importance of education, moral philosophy, and the study of classical texts. His works, such as "In Praise of Folly", critiqued the corruption within the Church and advocated for a return to genuine Christian values. Although he lived half of his life in the 15th century, his major works were written in the 16th century.

It was a period of great development in philosophy, with thinkers trying to apply humanist principles to various fields, including ethics, politics, and education. Major contributions were made by people like Niccolo Machiavelli, Martin Luther and Michel de Montaigne.

Rene Descartes (1596 - 1650) is often referred to as the father of modern philosophy, and he emphasized doubt and skepticism as a method for acquiring knowledge. His famous dictum "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am") reflects his foundational approach to epistemology (the theory of knowledge) and metaphysics (the nature and meaning of reality). He also contributed to mathematics and the philosophy of mind.

This century is often considered the beginning of modern philosophy, characterized by a shift away from medieval scholasticism and a focus on reason, empirical evidence, and individual thought. Rene Descartes, Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz introduced new concepts such as a new approach to epistemology and metaphysics, a monistic view of the universe (considering mind and body as a single entity, not dual), logic and mathematics.

Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804) was a central figure in 18th-century philosophy, and his "Critique of Pure Reason" sought to reconcile rationalism and empiricism. He introduced the concept of the "categorical imperative" in ethics, emphasizing the importance of duty and moral law. His ideas about autonomy and the limits of human knowledge had a profound impact on subsequent philosophy.

The Enlightenment was a cultural and intellectual movement that emphasized reason, science, and human rights. Philosophers sought to apply rational thought to all areas of human life, including politics, ethics, and education. Immanuel Kant with his "Critique of Pure Reason", David Hume with his "A Treatise of Human Nature" and Jean-Jacques Rousseau with his "The Social Contract" introduced concepts such as the categorical imperative.

Hegel, lived between 1770 - 1831, and his dialectical method emphasized the development of ideas through contradictions and resolutions, leading to the concept of the "Absolute Spirit". His work influenced various fields, including history, politics, and art.

The impact of the industrial revolution greatly influenced the philosophy during this period of time. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Friedrich Schelling were great exponents of idealism (the objects of knowledge are held to be in some way dependent on the activity of mind) , people like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill emphasized utilitarianism (ethical theory that determines right from wrong by focusing on outcomes), while Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche introduced existentialism (the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will). Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels developed a critique of capitalism with works such as "The Communist Manifesto" and "Das Kapital".

Heidegger (1889 - 1976) through his work explored the nature of being and human existence. His seminal text "Being and Time" examined concepts such as authenticity, temporality, and the human condition. Phenomenology is a research method that focuses on studying human experiences, particularly how individuals perceive and communicate their lived experiences, hermeneutics is the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts.

This period saw an explosion of new ideas and movements and some aspects of these were greatly influenced by Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein introducing Analytical philosophy (method of approaching philosophical problems through analysis of the terms in which they are expressed) , Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir dealing with Continental philosophy (the collective term for various philosophical movements evolving in mainland Europe, primarily France and Germany), John Dewey and Richard Rorty developing Pragmatism (an approach that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application).