BBC conducted a survey to select some of the most famous and influential philosophers in the world. Here is a summary of their approaches to thought.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher who created an important turning point in modern philosophy. He deeply explored human existence, morality, religion, and truth, strongly criticizing existing value systems. In particular, Nietzsche is famous for his declaration that "God is dead," which means that traditional Christian values no longer hold significance in modern society. He argued that humans must create their own values and live their lives autonomously. Additionally, through the concept of the 'Übermensch,' he emphasized that individuals should develop into exceptional beings through self-overcoming and growth. Nietzsche's philosophy values human freedom and self-realization, significantly influencing 20th-century philosophy, literature, and psychology.

Plato

Plato (c. 428/427-348/347 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher who laid the foundations of Western philosophy. He was a student of Socrates and systematized and developed his ideas. Plato argued through the concept of 'Ideas' that the objects of the real world are merely imperfect shadows of an ideal world that possesses perfect forms. His philosophy centers around the 'Theory of Ideas,' positing that the rational and eternal world of Ideas is a truer reality than the sensory world. Furthermore, in his work 'The Republic,' he envisioned an ideal society governed by philosopher-kings. Plato sought to understand the universe and nature through geometry, and his academic approach became the foundation of scientific methodology.

David Hume

David Hume (1711-1776) was a Scottish philosopher and a prominent figure in empiricism. He argued that human knowledge is formed by sensory experience, stating that "all knowledge originates from sensory impressions." Hume also took a skeptical approach to causality and pointed out the limitations of inductive reasoning. He believed that human thought relies on experience and that emotions and habits have a greater influence on human behavior than reason. Additionally, he took a critical stance on religion and faith, explaining that humans understand the world through sensory experiences rather than reason. His ideas had a significant impact on modern philosophy and the philosophy of science.

Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) was an Austrian philosopher regarded as a significant figure in analytic philosophy. He explored language, meaning, and logical structure, presenting a new direction for philosophy. In his early work, 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus,' he explained how language reflects the world and argued that the structure of language logically expresses the world. In his later work, he introduced the theory of 'language games,' asserting that the meaning of language is determined by social context and use. Wittgenstein viewed philosophy as a process of clarifying language from confusion, and his philosophy greatly influenced modern philosophy of language and epistemology.

Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a German philosopher and economist, a representative figure of socialist thought. He analyzed the contradictions of capitalism and proposed theories for the liberation of the working class. Marx argued that historical development is determined by economic structures and explained the exploitative structure and economic inequality of capitalism in 'Das Kapital.' He believed that class struggle drives history and predicted that a communist society would eventually emerge through the revolutionary liberation of the working class. His ideas had a significant impact on 20th-century socialist movements.