The history of Finnish philosophy ranges from the prehistoric period to contemporary philosophy.
Philosophy was the first academic subject in Finland as well as in the world. When the Royal Academy of Turku was founded in 1640, in addition to professors of law, medicine and three theology, six professors of the Faculty of Philosophical Sciences were appointed. Philosophy in the 21st century has all the external characteristics of academia in Finland: an established position as an academic subject, its own publications, scientific societies, congresses and international cooperation organisations.
The big names in Finnish philosophy have included J. V. Snellman, who represented G. W. F. Hegel's thinking in the 19th century and was influenced by German idealism, and has been regarded as Finland's national philosopher, as well as in the 20th century Edvard Westermarck, Eino Kaila, Georg Henrik von Wright and Jaakko Hintikka, who have attached Finnish philosophy above all to Anglo-Saxon, British and American philosophy.