Socrates, an Athenian philosopher, is considered a founder of Western philosophy, though he wrote nothing himself.

He is known for the Socratic method, a form of inquiry and debate between individuals based on asking and answering questions.

Socrates was tried and executed by Athens in 399 BCE on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth.

Plato, Socrates' most famous student, wrote philosophical dialogues that preserved and expanded upon his teacher's ideas.

Plato's philosophy centered on the Theory of Forms, which posits that the physical world is not the real world but only a shadow of a higher, spiritual reality.

He founded the Academy in Athens, one of the first institutions of higher learning in the Western world.

Aristotle, Plato's student, rejected the Theory of Forms and focused on empirical observation and logic.

Aristotle made significant contributions to a vast range of subjects, including biology, physics, ethics, politics, and metaphysics.

He was the tutor of Alexander the Great.

The works of these three philosophers formed the foundation of Western philosophy and science for centuries.