The Pre-Socratic Philosophers are defined as the Greek thinkers who developed independent and original schools of thought from the time of Thales of Miletus (l. c. 585 BCE) to that of Socrates of Athens (470/469-399 BCE). They are known as Pre-Socratics because they pre-date Socrates.
More about: Pre-Socratic PhilosophersDefinition
Timeline
-
c. 610 BCE - c. 546 BCEDates of Anaximander who develops the cosmic theory of the apeiron as the First Cause of existence.
-
c. 585 BCETime in which Thales of Miletus lived.
-
c. 571 BCE - c. 497 BCELife of Pythagoras of Samos; claim that "number" is the First Cause of existence and the soul is immortal.
-
c. 570 BCE - c. 478 BCELife of Xenophanes of Colophon; claim of One God as the First Cause of existence.
-
c. 546 BCEDate of Anaximenes' work; air is claimed as the First Cause of existence.
-
c. 500 BCEHeraclitus of Ephesus lives; claims that change is the essence of life and First Cause.
-
c. 500 BCE - c. 428 BCELife of Anaxagoras; claim that gods are irrelevant and all phenomena caused by natural forces.
-
c. 485 BCEParmenides flourishes; claims universe is One and pluralism is an illusion.
-
c. 485 BCE - c. 415 BCELife of the Sophist Protagoras of Abdera; claim that "man is the measure of all things".
-
c. 484 BCE - c. 424 BCELife of Empedocles who claims that Strife and Love are the two constants in life.
-
c. 465 BCEZeno of Elea flourishes; writes 40 logical paradoxes to support Parmenides' Monist view.
-
c. 460 BCE - 403 BCELife of the tyrant and Sophist Critias; claim that gods do not exist and religion is the invention of the clever to control others.
-
c. 460 BCE - c. 370 BCELife of Democritus, pupil of Leucippus; development of the concept of the atomic universe.
-
c. 427 BCESophist Gorgias flourishes; claim that knowledge is unknowable.
