PHILOSOPHY

Aristotle
(384 – 322 BCE)
Stagira, Greece
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and scientist, better known as
the teacher of Alexander the Great. He was a student of Plato
and is considered an important figure in Western philosophy.
Famous for his writings on physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater,
music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government,
esthetics, ethics, biology, zoology, economics, and psychology,
he was considered much ahead of his time. His writings
constitute the first comprehensive system of Western philosophy
which includes views on morality and aesthetics, logic and
science, politics and metaphysics. This system became the
supporting pillar of both Islamic and Christian scholastic
thought. It is even said that he was perhaps the last man who had
the knowledge of all known fields at the time. His intellectual
knowledge ranged from every known field of science and arts of
that era. One of his greatest achievements was formulating a
finished system of logical reasoning, also known as the
Aristotelian syllogistic. His contribution towards several
subjects and its influence makes him one of the most famous
and top personalities of all time.
PHILOSOPHY

Plato
(0428 – 0348 BCE)
 Athens, Greece

Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher who played an

important role in the development of Western philosophy. As
the scion of a rich and aristocratic family, he received good
education under renowned teachers, including Socrates.
Although initially he wanted to join politics, the execution of
Socrates changed his mind and he left Athens for 12 years,
visiting places around the Mediterranean Sea and studying under
several teachers. It was during this period that he first started
writing. That Plato was immensely influenced by Socrates is
evident from his body of works created during this period.
Ultimately, he returned to Athens and set up the first organized
school in the Western civilization. It soon turned into a center of
excellence and many well-known scholars, including his famous
pupil Aristotle, became associated with it. Plato never stopped
writing; his masterpieces like ‘The Republic’ and ‘Theory of
Forms’ were created during his later years. Along with Socrates
and Aristotle, Plato is credited to have laid the foundation of
Western philosophy and science. Fortunately, most of his works
have survived for over 2,400 years
PHILOSOPHY

Socrates
(0470 – 0399 BC)
 Athens, Greece

Socrates was one of the most influential Greek philosophers of

the ancient era. He was born in the fifth century BC in the city
of Athens. His father was a stone mason and his mother was a
midwife. Not much is known about his early years except that he
joined his father’s trade and thrice participated in the
Peloponnesian War as a citizen soldier. Later he started
exploring philosophy and very soon gathered a loyal band of
disciples, among whom most well-known are philosopher Plato,
historian Xenophon, the founder of the Cynic school,
Antisthenes and the founder of the Cyrenaic school, Aristippus.
Although a renowned teacher, Socrates had not left anything in
writing. Whatever we know about him or his teachings come
from the writings of Plato and Xenophon. He was unique man,
who did not care for class distinction or proper behavior. He
would move around the city, barefooted and unwashed, asking
questions, discussing answers and thus reaching the truth
through a unique procedure, we now call ‘Socratic Method’.
However, because of his nonconformity to the local traditions,
he also created many enemies, who accused him of corrupting
the youth. Sentenced to death, he died gracefully by drinking
brewed hemlock.
HISTORY

Herodotus
 (484 – 413 BC)
Halicarnassus, Caria

Herodotus a 5th-century BC Greek historian, is often

considered the founder of history. He was the first writer to
perform systematic investigation of historical events and to write
them in a narrative form. He is also known as "The Father of
History", a title conferred on him by the ancient Roman orator
Cicero. He spent his life working on his work called "The
Histories" accounted of the Greco-Persian Wars that is now
considered as the founding work of history in Western literature.
SOCIOLOGY

Émile Durkheim
(1858 – 1917)
 Epinal, France

Émile Durkheim is a French social scientist who developed a

vigorous methodology combining empirical research with
sociological theory. A pioneer architect of the discipline of
social science and widely referred to as the father of modern
sociology. His main contributions were his thinking on how
humanity is bound together. Émile's seminal writings include
The Division of Labor (1893) & Rules of Sociological Method
(1895).
PSYCHOLOGY

Wilhelm, Wundt
(1832 – 1920)
 Neckarau, Germany

Wilhelm Wundt is a German physiologist and

psychologist who is generally acknowledged as the founder
of experimental psychology. Wilhelm Wundt opened the
Institute for Experimental Psychology at the University of
Leipzig in Germany in 1879. This was the first laboratory
dedicated to psychology, and its opening is usually thought
of as the beginning of modern psychology. Indeed, Wundt
is often regarded as the father of psychology. Wundt was
important because he separated psychology from
philosophy by analyzing the workings of the mind in a
more structured way, with the emphasis being on objective
measurement and control.
PSYCHOLOGY

Sigmund Freud
 (1856 – 1939)
Freiberg, Moravia

Sigmund Freud is an Austrian neurologist, and the father of

Psychoanalysis. Freud was also a physiologist, medical doctor,
psychologist and influential thinker of the early twentieth
century.He showed his greatest contributions to psychology
through his works In 1900, after a protracted period of self-
analysis, Freud published The Interpretation of Dreams, which is
generally regarded as his greatest work. This was followed in
1901 by The Psychopathology of Everyday Life; and in 1905 by
Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality.
POLITICAL SCIENCE

Aristotle
 (384 – 322 BCE)
Stagira, Greece

Aristotle, the father of political science, was a Greek

philosopher and scientist. He was born in Stagira in 384 BC and
died in 322 BC at the age of 63 years. His works on philosophy
and the sciences have influenced many centuries and cultures.
As one of the most prolific writers in history, he wrote about
everything from politics to physics. In Book III of Politics (350
BCE), he wrote about what we would now call ‘political
institutions’ or ‘political systems.’
Aristotle’s ‘Politics’ is often hailed as a cornerstone of political
theory. In this work, he deliberates on the idea of citizenship and
the different forms of government. His perspectives on
democracy, tyranny, and ideal governance have stood the test of
time, provoked discourse and influencing political thought
across generations. Notably, his classification of governments
into monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy was a pioneering
effort that laid the groundwork for modern political systems’
analysis. Aristotle quote the word “man is political animal”
reflects his belief that human beings naturally form communities
and states, driven by their inherent need to congregate for the
common good.
POLITICAL SCIENCE

Niccolò Machiavelli,
(1469 – 1527)
 Florence, Italy

Niccolò Machiavelli, a prominent Italian diplomat, politician,

historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer during the
Renaissance period. His influential work, “Il Principe”
(commonly known as “The Prince”), has solidified his
reputation as the father of modern political science. Niccolo
wrote "The Prince" in the year 1513 yet publicized on 1532, it is
considered to be the philosopher's most famous work that was
published only after his death along with "Discourses on Livy"
(1531).
ANTHROPOLOGY

Edward Burnett Tylor

 (1832 – 1917)
Wellington, England

Edward Burnett Tylor is an English anthropologist regarded as

the founder of cultural anthropology. His most important work,
Primitive Culture (1871), influenced in part by Darwin’s theory
of biological evolution, developed the theory of an evolutionary,
progressive relationship from primitive to modern cultures.
Tylor was knighted in 1912. He is best known today for
providing, in this book, one of the earliest and clearest
definitions of culture, one that is widely accepted and used by
contemporary anthropologists. Culture, he said, is “That
complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals,
law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by
man as a member of society”.
ECONOMICS
 Adam Smith
(1723 – 1790)
Kirkcaldy, Scotland

Adam Smith was an 18th-century Scottish economist,

philosopher, and author who is considered the father of modern
economics. Smith argued against mercantilism and was a major
proponent of laissez-faire economic policies. In his first book,
The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith proposed the idea of an
invisible hand—the tendency of free markets to regulate
themselves using competition, supply and demand, and self-
interest. Smith is also known for creating the concept of gross
domestic product (GDP) and for his theory of compensating
wage differentials. According to this theory, dangerous or
undesirable jobs tend to pay higher wages to attract workers to
these positions. Smith's most notable contribution to the field of
economics was his 1776 book, An Inquiry into the Nature and
Causes of the Wealth of Nations.
GEOGRAPHY

Eratosthenes
 (276 – 194 BCE)
Cyrene, Libya

Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, and

geographer. He is famous for many things, including a mapping
method that used latitudes and longitudes, and his accurate
computation of the circumference of the Earth. He was also the
director of the Library of Alexandria. In addition to calculating
Earth’s circumference, Eratosthenes created the Sieve of
Eratosthenes, tried to fix the dates of literary and political events
since the siege of Troy, and is thought to have created the
armillary sphere.