Philosophers prior to Socrates, 470 BC. This was the era of Greco-Roman, (Ancient Greek) philosophers prior to the Socratic period and and post Hellenistic periods. This period was characterized by metaphysical speculation and carried great influence to Medieval Muslim philosophers and scientists to the European Renaissance and Enlightenment into the modern day secular sciences.

Pythagoras of Samos	Confucius
Thales of Miletos	Zeno of Elea

From approximately 470 BC to 450 AD and starts with the Socratic period in honor of Socrates and Plato who revolutionized philosophy by use of the Socratic Method, which developed general philosophical methods of definition, analysis, and synthesis and were further then taken up by Aristotle. This age of Ancient Philosophers contributed the most influence in both philosophy and science today.

Aristotle	Socrates
Plato

Estimated time between 450 - 1450 AD and referred to as the Middle Ages. This extends from the fall of the Roman Empire into the Renaissance period. Philosophers of the middle ages rediscovered and further developed classical Greek philosophy to address theological problems and integrate sacred doctrine and secular learning. Included, (but not limited to) Muslim, Jewish and Christian Philosophers.

Thomas Aquinas

Estimated between 1400 - 1600 and deriving from the French meaning "Rebirth" is a period of cultural advancement that started in the late Medieval age, (Middle Ages) into the 17th century and was considered a revival of learning based on classical sources which included humanism, art, science, religion and self awareness. It is argued whether or not this age was a cultural advancement or rather a period of pessimism and nostalgia for the Medieval age classical philosophy.

Thomas Hobbes

Between the 1600's - 1800's and considered the beginning with the revival of skepticism and modern physical science. This era of philosophers is considered to have ended with Kant's systematic attempt to reconcile Newtonian Physics with traditional metaphysics bringing us into the Age of Enlightenment.

René Descartes	John Locke
David Hume	Baruch de Spinoza

Early to Mid 1700's to early 1800's and narrowly referred to as the intellectual movement. This was the age of optimism and recognition of the need for major reforms in human condition. Some call it the Age of Reason or Age of Rationalism.

Immanuel Kant

1800 - 1900

Søren Kierkegaard	Gottlob Frege
John Stuart Mill	Nietzsche
Arthur Schopenhauer	Ralph Waldo Emerson

1900 - 2000

Simone Weil	Walter Russell
Robert Maynard Pirsig	Bertrand Russell
José Ortega y Gasset	Ludwig Wittgenstein
Jean-Paul Sartre	Alan Watts
Theodor W. Adorno

Would you like to see your favorite Philosopher added to this forum? Please make your suggestion in this forum.