philosophy

The Chinese philosopher and sage had a lot of wise things to say. But many of the quotes you've seen online were actually said by someone else. Can you tell them apart?

The proverb that empowers rude shoppers has been going strong for over a century. Who’s to blame?

‘Alchemist in His Workshop’ by David Teniers the Younger, 17th century.

There’s more to this spooky pseudo-science than simply turning lead into gold.

Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Albert Camus.

“What is the meaning of life?” is simultaneously one of the oldest questions in philosophy and a relatively new concept. Here’s what Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Albert Camus had to say on the matter.

It’s succinct enough to fit on a bumper sticker. But what did ‘knowledge is power’ originally mean?

Painting showing Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Benjamin Franklin presenting the first draft of the Declaration of Independence to the Second Continental Congress.

When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, both 'pursuit' and 'happiness' had secondary definitions that change the meaning of the iconic quote.

René Descartes contemplates his famous conclusion: Cogito ergo sum.

Dive into the philosophical questions that prompted René Descartes to come up with his famous phrase, “I think therefore I am.”

Bessie Coleman, David Bowie, and Martin Luther King Jr. all have January birthdays.

Some of our favorite figures from history, literature, music, pop culture, and more were born in the first month of the year. Do you share a birthday with one of these famous folks?

Jacques Louis David’s portrait of Antoine and Marie Anne Lavoisier. Antoine Lavoisier was a chemist during the Enlightenment who was later beheaded.

The period of scientific, artistic, and political revolutions isn’t known as the “Age of Reason” for nothing.

The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius destroyed Herculaneum—but may have preserved a lost library of Epicurus's writings.

Historians were struck by the tantalizing possibility that this library might contain missing works of some of history’s greatest writers—works thought to have been lost forever.

French feminist philosopher Simone De Beauvoir

Her best-known work, 'The Second Sex,' set off a feminist bombshell that continues to shape today’s debates

Martin Luther King, Jr. addresses a meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on May 27, 1966.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s approach to resisting injustice came straight from the playbook of 19th-century writer Henry David Thoreau.

A still from Rodney Ascher's A Glitch in the Matrix (2021).

'A Glitch in the Matrix,' the new documentary from Rodney Ascher ('Room 237') takes its cue from Philip K. Dick to explore just how real the "reality" we live in is.

Empathy’s definition originally described the relationship between humans and objects. Now, it’s much less straightforward.

When it came to books, Albert Einstein subscribed to the "oldie but goodie" mentality. He wasn't the only one.

These reading quotes from Albert Einstein, Theodore Roosevelt, and more might help you choose your next great read.

Eden, Janine and Jim, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Jeremy Bentham’s auto-icon, consisting of a wax head and a foam body built around his actual skeleton, has been moved to a new location in its London home.

William Jackson Harper and Kristen Bell in The Good Place.

Kant’s moral imperative dictates that you must kick back with a carton of frozen yogurt and read this article.

Are black holes the heaviest object in the universe? What causes that tingling feeling when you slip and almost fall? And why do we have so many shower thoughts, anyway? Experts weigh in.

In the nearly 30 years since the release of 'Groundhog Day,' fans have spent plenty of time and precious web bandwidth attempting to decode the alleged layers that exist just below the surface.

Your education shouldn't end when you graduate.

Mathematician, philosopher, soldier, scientist—René Descartes was the definition of a Renaissance man.

His contributions to philosophy are immense, even though he never seemed to fully agree with himself.

He was equally devoted to socialism and late-night partying.

Image: Otto Herschan, Getty Images. Background: iStock. Composite: Lucy Quintanilla, Mental Floss

Emerson emerged as one of the preeminent voices of his generation, both in his lifetime and in the annals of history.

Quiz: Did Confucius Really Say That?

Who First Said “The Customer Is Always Right”?

8 Fascinating Facts about Alchemy

What 3 Famous Thinkers Said About the Meaning of Life

Knowledge Is Power: A Brief History of the Philosophical Phrase

The Pursuit of Happiness: The True Meaning of the Misunderstood Phrase

‘Cogito Ergo Sum’: The Genesis and Meaning of René Descartes’s Famous Declaration

10 Famous Birthdays to Celebrate in January

10 Illuminating Facts About the Enlightenment

The Lost Library of Herculaneum: Unravelling the Scrolls That Mount Vesuvius Almost Destroyed

5 Fast Facts About Simone de Beauvoir

The Profound Effect Henry David Thoreau Had on Martin Luther King Jr.

What Is Reality? A Glitch in the Matrix Explores the Concept of Simulation Theory

Sympathy vs. Empathy: What’s the Difference?

7 Pieces of Reading Advice From History’s Greatest Minds

University College London Moves Jeremy Bentham's Auto-Icon to a New Location

5 Moral Philosophy Concepts Featured on The Good Place

Experts Attempted to Explain Reddit’s Most Profound ‘Shower Thoughts’

8 Fascinating Interpretations of Groundhog Day

15 Podcasts That Will Make You Feel Smarter

17 Things to Know About René Descartes

10 Fascinating Facts About Søren Kierkegaard

10 Facts About Karl Marx

15 Facts about Ralph Waldo Emerson