My favorite philosopher?

Hah!
Kapila Kardama. Who else?

A very ancient sage. Descendant of Saptarshi Pulaha.

Founded Samkhya, world's second oldest philosophy.

The world's first Empiricist.

World's first Atheist thinker.

Worlds first Reformer.

#PatronRishi of Rebels.

The rest of mankind didnt even HAVE philosophy in the Bronze age. When Vedic Monists reigned supreme as Aryavarta's intellectuals, he boldly challenged them ALONE!

'I don't accept your Vedic position that reality can be reduced to One. Oh, I don't accept many other things too"

-He was the first to speak up against ritualism, though he seems to have been one himself and his name and clan is referenced in the Brahmanas
-He was the first to oppose cruelty to animals and the practice of animal sacrifices.
- He was one of the earliest advocates of Ahimsa

-Baudhayana Dharmasutras credit him with establishing the four ashramas
-In laying down rules for ascetic life, he was instrumental in the early history of monasticism.
-The earliest unmistakable reference to him comes from the Atharvaveda Atharvaveda (XI.3)

-Allusions to his Philosophy already appear in the very late Rig Vedic Book X implying he belongs in that era.
-'Tamas' and Satkarya vada(dissolution principle) appears in X.129.3
-Upanishads abound in Sankhya references

-He established Dualism as a counter to Vedic monism
-He rejected a creator for the universe.
-He DECLARED that sensory perception and observation were the primary source of knowledge.
-He laid down an IRON RULE of Empiricism which EVERY Indian philosopher after him accepted.

-He has directly or indirectly influenced/inspired every other Indian philosophy. Including Buddhism & Advaitha whose major texts have all adopted Sankhya.
-The first teacher of Gautama Buddha was a Sankhya philosopher Alara Kalama.
-The capital of the Shakyas was 'Kapilavastu'!

A man so great, even his philosophical opponents admired and revered him-

"Amongst the perfected beings, I am the sage Kapila.."
Bhagavad Gita 10.26

The least tribute we can offer him, when Marxist/Muellerian historians may not find it worthwhile to treat him like a historical person, separate him from the other Kapilas, investigate the references and to assign him his rightful place in history, is to try do it ourselves.

The only piece of information we know for certain is that he lived BEFORE the Mahabharata times, where he is a celebrated legend.

The Guru-Shishya lineage is thus-
Kapila
v
Asuri
v
Panca Sikha
v
Vindhyavasa
v
Varsaganya
v
Jaigisavya

Not much help- EXCEPT the last name

Who is this 'Jaigisavya'? Where does he find mention?

In the MB, Padma purana etc, we come across a Jaigisavya who was a teacher to the Nipa King Brahmadatta.

Who is this Brahmadatta?
He was a friend & contemporary to King Pratipa, great grandfather of Bhishma.

(Ref:Pargiter)

What conclusion can we draw from the limited evidence we have?

Kapila Kardama lived 10 or more generations before the time of the Mahabharata. That would place him at the latest in 18-17th century BCE (if you follow the conservative date for the MB)

"Nothing can be created from nothing.
The primordial matter was uncreated.
And it will remain at the end of the universe."
-Kapila Kardama

The first time in history that anyone stated a conservation law.

"Tis not enough to just sit, close your eyes and meditate. Hoping answers will come on their own

Tis also not enough to loose your way in the twisting rivers of logic

You must use your eyes & ears & touch. Observe and study the world around if you seek valid knowledge."

Kapila

"Pratyakṣa (The Empirical) is greater than anumāna (inference)
Remember this. This is my Iron rule"
-Kapila

Kapila foreshadowed the scientific method by almost 3000 years. The Iron Rule of Indian philosophy was laid down by him. A major reason why India advanced over the world.