list of isms banno do you want to rethink the 'list of isms' of course there are some silly ones cosmothetic idealism but some isms correspond to divisions that are relevant across the whole history of philosophy rationalism vs empiricism which begins with parmenides and continues until today nominalism vs realism which begins with aristotle becomes the central question of the middle ages via porphyry and boethius and is still alive today very much so idealism vs realism and understanding of which is essential to any understanding of the early modern period possibly scepticism they are not so much 'isms' perhaps it was my fault for phrasing it that way what is needed is a short list of the basic positions in which philosophers have been divided since the beginning of time yes