PHILOSOPHY

Who First Said “The Customer Is Always Right”?

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.

8 Fascinating Facts about Alchemy

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

Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Albert Camus.

What 3 Famous Thinkers Said About the Meaning of Life

“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.

Knowledge Is Power: A Brief History of the Philosophical Phrase

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.

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

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.

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

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.

10 Famous Birthdays to Celebrate in January

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.

10 Illuminating Facts About the Enlightenment

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.

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

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

5 Fast Facts About 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.

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

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).

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

'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.

Sympathy vs. Empathy: What’s the Difference?

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.

7 Pieces of Reading Advice From History’s Greatest Minds

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

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

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.

5 Moral Philosophy Concepts Featured on The Good Place

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

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

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.

8 Fascinating Interpretations of Groundhog Day

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.