600 BC – 200 AD
Ancient Greece
In a handful of Greek cities, people stopped explaining the world with myths and started asking for reasons. In two centuries they invented physics, ethics, logic and politics — and the questions they raised are still open today.
The Mythsbefore 600 BCBefore philosophy, people explained the world with stories about gods.The Natural Philosophers~600–450 BCThe first philosophers looked for natural building blocks instead of gods.Democritus~460–370 BCGuessed that everything is made of tiny ‘atoms’ — 2,000 years early.
Socrates470–399 BCAsked endless questions and said the wise know how little they know.
Plato428–347 BCSaid the things we see are just shadows of perfect, eternal ‘ideas’.
Aristotle384–322 BCPlato's student who trusted observation and invented logic & biology.Hellenism~300 BC – 200 ADStoics, Epicureans, and Cynics asked how to actually live a good life.
Socrates470–399 BCAsked endless questions and said the wise know how little they know.Plato428–347 BCSaid the things we see are just shadows of perfect, eternal ‘ideas’.Aristotle384–322 BCPlato's student who trusted observation and invented logic & biology.Hellenism~300 BC – 200 ADStoics, Epicureans, and Cynics asked how to actually live a good life.