70 schools · 227 thinkers

Schools index

Every school in the corpus, ordered by the year it begins, with schools that grew inside a wider tradition listed under it. Membership is declared by the thinkers themselves, so anyone who belongs to more than one school appears under each.

Vedic and Upanishadic thought

800 BCE–700 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Gārgī Vācaknavī 800 BCE–700 BCE
- Yājñavalkya 800 BCE–700 BCE
Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy

624 BCE–485 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Thales 624 BCE–546 BCE
- Socrates 470 BCE–399 BCE
- Cicero 106–43 BCE
- Proclus 412 CE–485 CE
Presocratic philosophy

624 BCE–399 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Thales 624 BCE–546 BCE
- Anaximander 610 BCE–546 BCE
- Anaximenes c. 586–526 BCE
- Pythagoras c. 570–495 BCE
- Xenophanes c. 570–475 BCE
- Heraclitus 540 BCE–480 BCE
- Parmenides 515 BCE–450 BCE
- Anaxagoras c. 500–428 BCE
- Empedocles c. 494–434 BCE
- Democritus c. 460–370 BCE
Eleatic philosophy

570 BCE–430 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Xenophanes c. 570–475 BCE
- Parmenides 515 BCE–450 BCE
- Zeno of Elea c. 490–430 BCE
Pythagoreanism

570 BCE–300 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Pythagoras c. 570–495 BCE
- Philolaus c. 470–385 BCE
Ancient atomism

490 BCE–100 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Leucippus fl. c. 450 BCE
- Democritus c. 460–370 BCE
Classical Greek philosophy

490 BCE–300 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Protagoras 490 BCE–420 BCE
- Gorgias c. 485–380 BCE
- Socrates 470 BCE–399 BCE
- Aristippus of Cyrene c. 435–356 BCE
- Plato c. 428–348 BCE
- Aristotle 384–322 BCE
Sophistry

490 BCE–380 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Protagoras 490 BCE–420 BCE
- Gorgias c. 485–380 BCE
Cynicism

445 BCE–200 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Antisthenes c. 445–365 BCE
- Diogenes of Sinope c. 412–323 BCE
- Crates of Thebes c. 365–285 BCE
Platonism

428 BCE–500 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Plato c. 428–348 BCE
Neoplatonism

204 CE–485 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Plotinus 204 CE–270 CE
- Porphyry 234 CE–305 CE
- Iamblichus c. 245–325 CE
- Proclus 412 CE–485 CE
Peripatetic school

384 BCE–200 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Aristotle 384–322 BCE
- Theophrastus c. 371–287 BCE
Hellenistic schools

341 BCE–180 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Epicurus 341 BCE–270 BCE
- Zeno of Citium 334 BCE–262 BCE
- Carneades c. 214–129 BCE
- Cicero 106–43 BCE
Ancient skepticism

365 BCE–220 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Pyrrho c. 365–275 BCE
- Arcesilaus c. 315–241 BCE
- Carneades c. 214–129 BCE
- Cicero 106–43 BCE
- Aenesidemus fl. 1st century BCE
- Sextus Empiricus fl. late 2nd century CE
Pyrrhonism

365 BCE–220 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Pyrrho c. 365–275 BCE
- Aenesidemus fl. 1st century BCE
- Sextus Empiricus fl. late 2nd century CE
Academic skepticism

315 BCE–43 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Arcesilaus c. 315–241 BCE
- Carneades c. 214–129 BCE
- Cicero 106–43 BCE
Epicureanism

341 BCE–100 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Epicurus 341 BCE–270 BCE
- Lucretius c. 99–55 BCE
Stoicism

334 BCE–180 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Zeno of Citium 334 BCE–262 BCE
- Cleanthes c. 330–230 BCE
- Chrysippus 279 BCE–206 BCE
- Seneca c. 4 BCE–65 CE
- Epictetus c. 50–135 CE
- Marcus Aurelius 121–180 CE
Late antique philosophy

204 CE–485 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Plotinus 204 CE–270 CE
- Porphyry 234 CE–305 CE
- Hypatia 355 CE–415 CE
- Proclus 412 CE–485 CE
Indian Buddhist philosophy

600 BCE–660 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī 600 BCE–500 BCE
- Siddhartha Gautama c. fifth century BCE
- Nāgasena 150 BCE–50 BCE
- Nāgārjuna c. 150–250 CE
- Vasubandhu 316 CE–396 CE
- Dignāga 480 CE–540 CE
- Candrakīrti c. 600–650 CE
- Dharmakīrti 600 CE–660 CE
Early Chinese thought

551 BCE–208 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Confucius 551–479 BCE
- Shang Yang c. 390–338 BCE
- Mencius c. 372–289 BCE
- Zhuangzi c. 369–286 BCE
- Gongsun Long fl. 4th–3rd century BCE
- Li Si c. 280–208 BCE
Daoist philosophy

600 BCE–312 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Laozi 600 BCE–400 BCE
- Wang Bi 226 CE–249 CE
- Guo Xiang 252 CE–312 CE
Mohism

470 BCE–391 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Mozi 470 BCE–391 BCE
Legalist statecraft

390 BCE–208 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Shang Yang c. 390–338 BCE
- Han Fei 280 BCE–233 BCE
- Li Si c. 280–208 BCE
School of Names

380 BCE–250 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Hui Shi 370 BCE–310 BCE
- Gongsun Long fl. 4th–3rd century BCE
Confucian traditions

310 BCE–235 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Xunzi 310 BCE–235 BCE
Classical Indian philosophy

500 BCE–1700 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Kaṇāda 200 BCE–100 CE
- Patañjali c. 200 BCE–300 CE
- Jaimini c. first centuries BCE–CE
- Akṣapāda Gautama c. 100–200 CE
- Īśvarakṛṣṇa c. 350–450 CE
- Śaṅkara 700 CE–750 CE
Jain philosophy

599 BCE–527 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Mahāvīra 599 BCE–527 BCE
South Asian materialism

500 BCE–400 BCE · Locate in atlas →
- Ajita Kesakambalī 500 BCE–400 BCE
Yoga

200 BCE–1600 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Patañjali c. 200 BCE–300 CE
- Vācaspati Miśra c. 900–1000 CE
- Vijñānabhikṣu c. sixteenth century CE
Mīmāṃsā

100 BCE–1700 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Jaimini c. first centuries BCE–CE
- Śabara c. fourth century CE
- Kumārila Bhaṭṭa c. 650–750 CE
- Prabhākara c. 700 CE
Nyāya

100–1700 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Akṣapāda Gautama c. 100–200 CE
- Vātsyāyana c. 400–450 CE
- Udayana c. 1000–1100 CE
- Gaṅgeśa c. fourteenth century CE
Navya-Nyāya

1200–1700 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Gaṅgeśa c. fourteenth century CE
Sāṃkhya

300–1600 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Īśvarakṛṣṇa c. 350–450 CE
- Vācaspati Miśra c. 900–1000 CE
- Vijñānabhikṣu c. sixteenth century CE
Vedānta

700 CE–1317 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Śaṅkara 700 CE–750 CE
- Rāmānuja 1017 CE–1137 CE
- Madhva 1238 CE–1317 CE
Jewish philosophy

20 BCE–1344 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Philo of Alexandria 20 BCE–50 CE
- Saadia Gaon 882 CE–942 CE
- Judah Halevi 1075 CE–1141 CE
- Maimonides 1138 CE–1204 CE
- Gersonides 1288 CE–1344 CE
Chinese Buddhist philosophy

350–900 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Sēngzhào 374–414 CE
- Xuánzàng 602–664 CE
- Huìnéng 638–713 CE
- Fǎzàng 643–712 CE
Latin Christian philosophy

354 CE–1347 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Augustine of Hippo 354 CE–430 CE
- Boethius 477 CE–524 CE
- Anselm of Canterbury 1033 CE–1109 CE
- Peter Abelard 1079–1142 CE
- Thomas Aquinas 1225–1274 CE
- John Duns Scotus 1266–1308 CE
- William of Ockham c. 1287–1347 CE
Scholasticism

1079–1500 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Peter Abelard 1079–1142 CE
- Albertus Magnus c. 1200–1280 CE
- Roger Bacon 1214/1220–1292 CE
- Bonaventure 1217–1274 CE
- Thomas Aquinas 1225–1274 CE
- Meister Eckhart c. 1260–1328 CE
- John Duns Scotus 1266–1308 CE
- William of Ockham c. 1287–1347 CE
Philosophy in the Islamic world

801 CE–1640 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Al-Kindī 801 CE–873 CE
- Abū Bakr al-Rāzī 865 CE–925 CE
- al-Fārābī c. 872–950 CE
- Ibn Sina 980–1037 CE
- al-Ghazali 1058–1111 CE
- Ibn Ṭufayl 1105 CE–1185 CE
- Ibn Rushd 1126–1198 CE
- Ibn ʿArabī 1165 CE–1240 CE
- Ibn Khaldūn 1332 CE–1406 CE
- Mullā Ṣadrā 1571 CE–1640 CE
Kalām

1149 CE–1210 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī 1149 CE–1210 CE
Neo-Confucian traditions

1020 CE–1529 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Zhang Zai 1020 CE–1077 CE
- Cheng Yi 1033 CE–1107 CE
- Zhu Xi 1130–1200 CE
- Wang Yangming 1472–1529 CE
Korean Confucian philosophy

1501 CE–1584 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Yi Hwang 1501 CE–1570 CE
- Yi I 1536 CE–1584 CE
Byzantine philosophy

1242 CE–1452 CE · Locate in atlas →
- George Pachymeres 1242 CE–1310 CE
- Gemistos Plethon 1355 CE–1452 CE
Renaissance humanism

1364 CE–1527 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Christine de Pizan 1364 CE–1430 CE
- Pico della Mirandola 1463 CE–1494 CE
- Niccolò Machiavelli 1469 CE–1527 CE
Early modern reason and critique

1561 CE–1804 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Francis Bacon 1561 CE–1626 CE
- Thomas Hobbes 1588 CE–1679 CE
- René Descartes 1596–1650 CE
- Zera Yacob 1599–1692 CE
- Elisabeth of Bohemia 1618–1680 CE
- Baruch Spinoza 1632–1677 CE
- John Locke 1632 CE–1704 CE
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz 1646 CE–1716 CE
- Mary Astell 1666 CE–1731 CE
- George Berkeley 1685 CE–1753 CE
- David Hume 1711–1776 CE
- Immanuel Kant 1724–1804 CE
Japanese philosophy

1627 CE–1728 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Itō Jinsai 1627 CE–1705 CE
- Ogyū Sorai 1666 CE–1728 CE
Japanese Buddhist philosophy

774 CE–1253 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Kūkai 774 CE–835 CE
- Dōgen 1200 CE–1253 CE
Latin American philosophy

1648 CE–2023 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 1648 CE–1695 CE
- Francisco Romero 1891 CE–1962 CE
- José Carlos Mariátegui 1894 CE–1930 CE
- Leopoldo Zea 1912 CE–2004 CE
- Enrique Dussel 1934 CE–2023 CE
African and Africana philosophy

1703 CE–present · Locate in atlas →
- Anton Wilhelm Amo 1703 CE–1759 CE
- Edward Wilmot Blyden 1832 CE–1912 CE
- W. E. B. Du Bois 1868 CE–1963 CE
- Kwasi Wiredu 1931 CE–2022 CE
- Paulin Hountondji 1942 CE–2024 CE
- Cornel West 1953–present
- Souleymane Bachir Diagne 1955–present
- Achille Mbembe 1957–present
Enlightenment philosophies

1712 CE–1797 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712 CE–1778 CE
- Denis Diderot 1713 CE–1784 CE
- Adam Smith 1723 CE–1790 CE
- Mary Wollstonecraft 1759 CE–1797 CE
Utilitarianism

1748 CE–1873 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Jeremy Bentham 1748 CE–1832 CE
- John Stuart Mill 1806 CE–1873 CE
Anarchism

1756–1940 CE · Locate in atlas →
- William Godwin 1756–1836 CE
- Pierre-Joseph Proudhon 1809–1865 CE
- Mikhail Bakunin 1814–1876 CE
- Peter Kropotkin 1842–1921 CE
- Emma Goldman 1869–1940 CE
German idealism

1762 CE–1854 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Johann Gottlieb Fichte 1762 CE–1814 CE
- G. W. F. Hegel 1770 CE–1831 CE
- Friedrich Schelling 1775 CE–1854 CE
Nineteenth-century philosophy

1788 CE–1900 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Arthur Schopenhauer 1788 CE–1860 CE
- Søren Kierkegaard 1813 CE–1855 CE
- Friedrich Nietzsche 1844 CE–1900 CE
Positivism

1798 CE–1857 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Auguste Comte 1798 CE–1857 CE
Marxist traditions

1818 CE–1919 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Karl Marx 1818 CE–1883 CE
- Friedrich Engels 1820 CE–1895 CE
- Rosa Luxemburg 1871 CE–1919 CE
Pragmatism

1839 CE–1952 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Charles Sanders Peirce 1839 CE–1914 CE
- William James 1842 CE–1910 CE
- John Dewey 1859 CE–1952 CE
Analytic philosophy

1848 CE–2022 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Gottlob Frege 1848 CE–1925 CE
- Bertrand Russell 1872 CE–1970 CE
- G. E. Moore 1873 CE–1958 CE
- Ludwig Wittgenstein 1889 CE–1951 CE
- Rudolf Carnap 1891–1970 CE
- W. V. O. Quine 1908 CE–2000 CE
- G. E. M. Anscombe 1919 CE–2001 CE
- Saul Kripke 1940 CE–2022 CE
Logical empiricism

1882–1989 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Moritz Schlick 1882–1936 CE
- Otto Neurath 1882–1945 CE
- Hans Reichenbach 1891–1953 CE
- Rudolf Carnap 1891–1970 CE
- A. J. Ayer 1910–1989 CE
Existentialism and phenomenology

1859 CE–1986 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Edmund Husserl 1859–1938 CE
- Martin Heidegger 1889 CE–1976 CE
- Jean-Paul Sartre 1905–1980 CE
- Maurice Merleau-Ponty 1908 CE–1961 CE
- Simone de Beauvoir 1908–1986 CE
- Frantz Fanon 1925–1961 CE
Modern South Asian philosophy

1861 CE–present · Locate in atlas →
- Rabindranath Tagore 1861 CE–1941 CE
- Muhammad Iqbal 1877 CE–1938 CE
- Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 1888 CE–1975 CE
- Amartya Sen 1933–present
Anti-colonial and decolonial thought

1869 CE–2008 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Mahatma Gandhi 1869 CE–1948 CE
- B. R. Ambedkar 1891 CE–1956 CE
- Léopold Sédar Senghor 1906 CE–2001 CE
- Aimé Césaire 1913–2008 CE
- Claudia Jones 1915 CE–1964 CE
- Frantz Fanon 1925–1961 CE
Kyoto School

1870 CE–1990 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Nishida Kitarō 1870–1945 CE
- Tanabe Hajime 1885–1962 CE
- Watsuji Tetsurō 1889 CE–1960 CE
- Keiji Nishitani 1900 CE–1990 CE
Critical theory

1892 CE–present · Locate in atlas →
- Walter Benjamin 1892 CE–1940 CE
- Max Horkheimer 1895 CE–1973 CE
- Theodor W. Adorno 1903 CE–1969 CE
- Jürgen Habermas 1929–present
Hermeneutics

1900 CE–2005 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Hans-Georg Gadamer 1900 CE–2002 CE
- Paul Ricœur 1913 CE–2005 CE
Continental philosophy

1906 CE–2004 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Emmanuel Levinas 1906 CE–1995 CE
- Hannah Arendt 1906 CE–1975 CE
- Gilles Deleuze 1925 CE–1995 CE
- Michel Foucault 1926 CE–1984 CE
- Jacques Derrida 1930 CE–2004 CE
Twentieth-century philosophy

1909 CE–1999 CE · Locate in atlas →
- Simone Weil 1909 CE–1943 CE
- Iris Murdoch 1919 CE–1999 CE
Feminist philosophy

1944 CE–present · Locate in atlas →
- Angela Davis 1944–present
- Patricia Hill Collins 1948–present
- bell hooks 1952 CE–2021 CE
- Judith Butler 1956–present
Contemporary philosophy

1947 CE–present · Locate in atlas →
- Martha Nussbaum 1947–present