However, this time around, it was the Thomist version which prevailed almost exclusively, even if circumstances, along two centuries and a half of British rule, changed drastically over the years. As in former years, the larger part of the philosophers of this period were ecclesiastics, predominantly members of religious orders. Again, due to censor and control, they hardly ever ventured to propose anything philosophically bold or imaginative. An outstanding exception to all of these was Manuel Dimech, who lived and worked during the first decade of the 20th century. He not only did not adhere to any form of Scholasticism but, furthermore, was a surprisingly innovative and original philosopher and social reformer. Post-Independence Period (since 1964) By the time of Malta's independence Scholasticism had waned and slowly faded away. Very few continued to uncritically adhere to its tenets, and these were restricted to small religious (particularly Catholic) circles. Most of the other philosophers became somewhat more adventurous, exploring spheres which were to some extent inaccessible during the British (and much less the Hospitaller) period. In terms of the development of doing philosophy in Malta, Peter Serracino Inglott stands out as all-important, especially from the late 1960s onwards. Some other Maltese philosophers worked abroad. Though they retained their limited contact with Malta, they of course had a different frame of mind. Their influence on young Maltese philosophers was negligible. Chair of Philosophy at the University of Malta The following is the list of professors who held the Chair of Philosophy at the University of Malta, Malta's highest academic philosophy institution. The dates refer to their period of tenure. The chair of philosophy was established in 1771 by the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, Manuel Pinto da Fonseca, when he transformed the Collegium Melitense (Maltese College) of the Jesuits into the University of Malta. {| |- | 1. || Joseph Moncada || 1771–73 |- | 2. || Joseph Xerri || 1773 |- | || Grand Master Francisco Ximénez de Tejada,brought the activities of the university to a complete stop. || 1773–78 |- | 3. || Dominic Malarbi || 1778–79 |- | 4. || Joseph Moncada || 1780–86 |- | 5. || Michael Xerri || 1786–98 |- | || Napoleon Bonaparte suspended the chair. || 1798–1800 |- | 6. || Saviour Montebello || 1800–04 |- | 7. || Peter Mallia || 1804–22 |- | 8. || Jerome Inglott || 1822–27 |- |