contributions to philosophy by the presocratics?

answers1: Presocratics Like Anaximander, Parmenides and Heraklitus
were not "philosophers" in the today's meaning of the term. Philosophy
proper began with Socrates and Plato. The presocratics were Thinkers
.i.e they were first to think Being. So in this respect they
contributed nothing to philosophy. Philosophy is metaphysics and it
doesn't ask the question of Being: 'What do we mean when we say that
something "IS"?" They were the First Beginning.
answers2: principals of "Paydeia" (The Greek Philosophy)
answers3: Before Socrates, there was cosmology (where belong Thales,
Anaximander, Zenon, etc) and anthropology that Socrates developed in
real way, but before him that started sophists like Protagoras,
Gorgias, etc.). <br>
Cosmology isn't pure philosophy, it had that name because there wasn't
any science in that time (science in modern sense), there was only
mythology and than philosophy. Those philosophers were the first ones
who asked themselves a questions about nature, sky, etc., what element
is in heart of everything, so they all have one "nickname" -
physicians. <br>
Their contribution is in starting of philosophical way of thinking,
starting "the ratio", they were the first who doubted in mythological
stories about world, earth and sky, etc... They started whole
philosophy in those ancient times (when I say this, I mean on
philosophy of western world). because THEY STARTED THINKING. <br>
After that period, comes anthropology where in center of thinking
isn't world anymore, but human, e.g. morality. Sophists started it,
than came Socrates who eclipsed them by opposing them, than after him
Plato etc. <br>
Sophists are important because they started this new era, they put man
in the center, and important because Socrates built his theory on
opposing to them. Without sophists, there wouldn't be Socrates. <br>
I hope this helps. <br>
PS I don't know did I wrote all names of philosophers correct in english.
answers4: I'm not sure about Western Philosophy, but Easter Philosophy
held a solid foundation from about a thousand B.C. until present.