Kant, Plato, Aristotle from "summary" of The Oxford Companion to Philosophy by Ted Honderich

Kant, Plato and Aristotle were three of the most influential and famous philosophers of all time. They laid the foundations for some of the greatest philosophical works ever written. Their ideas still shape our thinking even today.

Kant is considered one of the most important figures in Western philosophy. His work on ethics and aesthetics has been hugely influential and his idea that knowledge was based on ‘synthetic a priori’ reasoning has had a lasting effect.

Aristotle thought that man was by nature rational and that his highest aim should be to pursue truth through logical and scientific enquiry. He argued that all knowledge must be acquired through experience of the material world. His works on physics and biology have stood the test of time.

These three great philosophers continue to influence thinkers around the world. They represent different ways of looking at the world but they also share certain common themes such as the importance of reason and knowledge as well as a commitment to understanding the truth.

Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher who believed that reality consisted of two worlds - the physical world of appearance and the intangible spiritual world of Forms which he called the ‘true essence’ of anything. He wrote many allegories about justice and morality that are still studied widely today.