Timeline

The Natural Philosophy Timeline

By Michael Alan Prestwood

Great thinkers, their ideas, and publications

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Philosophy TL: ALL > Big Picture > Ideas > Philosophers > Publications

Natural Philosophy includes the great philosophers and their ideas and publications. This timeline focuses on the empirical, rational, and irrational as well as understanding their philosophical context. Philosophical context includes understanding the timing of discoveries and rediscoveries as well as the philosophers behind them and their publications. For the companion timeline for the book: “30 Philosophers: A New Look at Timeless Ideas,” go to Book Timeline: 30 Philosophers.

The Natural Philosophy Timeline

Fuxi (伏羲)

Fuxi, showing multiple possible portraits representing what Fuxi might have looked like. The scene includes ancient Chinese architecture, cultural elements, and symbols of his contributions, such as the creation of humanity, the invention of writing, and teaching people to fish and hunt.

Circa 8000-7000 BCE

Nüwa (女娲)

Nüwa, showing multiple possible portraits representing what Nüwa might have looked like. The scene includes ancient Chinese architecture, cultural elements, and symbols of her contributions, such as the creation of mankind and repairing the pillar of heaven.

Circa 8000-7000 BCE

Shennong (神农)

Shennong showing multiple possible portraits representing what Shennong might have looked like. The scene includes ancient Chinese architecture, cultural elements, and symbols of his contributions, such as teaching agriculture and herbal medicine, set against a harmonious landscape with fields, crops, medicinal plants, and early farming practices.

circa 2800 BCE

The Divine Farmer

The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi)

Ancient China during the time of the Yellow Emperor, featuring various possible portraits of what he might have looked like, along with symbolic representations of Yin and Yang, traditional architecture, and a harmonious landscape.

circa 2650 BCE (+/- 50 years)

Oldest Known Monotheistic Religion: Atenism

In the ninth year of the reign of Akhenaten, he declared the traditional supreme God Aten to be the only God of Egypt with himself as the sole communicator to Aten. About the image: Akhenaton and Nefertiti seated, holding 3 of their daughters.

1344 BCE

circa 1340 to 1320 BCE

Major Religion: Hinduism

Hinduism, one of the world's oldest religions, emerged around 1100 BCE, several centuries after the Indus Valley Civilization collapsed. Hinduism has no known roots in the IVC, but it's a topic to follow as we uncover clues.

1100 BCE (+/- 300 years)

125 Generations Ago

The Birth of Logic

624 BCE

Circa 624-546 BCE

Wu-wei or “non-action”

Go with the flow of nature.

Hourglass

Hourglass on the Beach

1400

Relativity Principle

Jul 1632

Protozoa Discovered: Microbiology Founded

About 2 billion years ago, eukaryotic cells are defined by a membrane-bound nucleus and internal organelles. Their emergence created the structural foundation for complex life.

1674

The Invention of Calculus

Photo by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=instant-images&utm_medium=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">geralt</a> on <a href="https://pixabay.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pixabay</a>

5 Jul 1687

Electromagnetic Radiation Theory