Jonny Thomson

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Jonny Thomson

Author and philosopher

Jonny Thomson taught philosophy in Oxford for more than a decade before turning to writing full-time. He’s a columnist at Big Think and is the award-winning, bestselling author of three books that have been translated into 22 languages.

Jonny is also the founder of Mini Philosophy, a social network of around two million curious, intelligent minds. He's known all over the world for making philosophy accessible, relatable, and fun. 

Everything Videos Articles
Two beach umbrellas, one striped and one red, shade a folding chair with a towel draped over it on the sandy beach—inviting you to rest and unwind by the shore.
Mini Philosophy
3 reasons why holidays aren’t making you more relaxed
If you're going to relax, don't do it halfway.
Jonny Thomson
A silhouette of a seated person with colorful gaming achievement icons, such as trophies and badges, where their head would be, on a green background.
Mini Philosophy
How gamification can ruin your life
The cartoon owl wants to have a word.
Jonny Thomson
A classical painting depicts Kairos, a winged, bearded man with curly hair, holding a pair of golden scales against a light blue background.
Mini Philosophy
Kairos: The ancient Greek art of knowing when to act
A white rabbit appears up ahead. What do you do?
Jonny Thomson
Black and white film strips show a man in a suit making various facial expressions, channeling a Dali-like flair as he holds a cane to his face in one frame.
Mini Philosophy
The Dalí trick: The strange psychology of becoming who you want to be
Who do you want to be today?
Jonny Thomson
A stylized drawing of a classical statue’s eyes is overlaid with a pale abstract shape resembling a bird's head and wing, evoking themes of dead closure, all set against a beige background.
Mini Philosophy
Most of your opinions aren’t yours — and a philosopher has a name for it
Why we shouldn't necessarily outsource our thinking to dead people.
Jonny Thomson
A sliced onion bulb with roots and stem, illuminated from behind and set against a black background, resembles the delicate layers of daffodils in bloom.
Mini Philosophy
The case for letting a version of yourself die
What the near-death experiences of daffodils can teach us about resilience, death, and becoming someone new.
Jonny Thomson
A silhouette of a person thinking is filled with an image of birds soaring in the sky, layered over a dark, blurred office background.
Mini Philosophy
Zugunruhe: The restless sign that something needs to change
A free and happy bird does not pace the room.
Jonny Thomson
a painting of a group of men standing next to each other.
Mini Philosophy
5 ways ancient Persia shaped our modern world
From landscaped gardens to road systems, the Persians were among the first to create many things we still enjoy today.
Jonny Thomson
A photo of a woman with her face blanked out is taped to a background filled with handwritten writing. She wears a pink top and gold hoop earring, her hand resting near her collarbone.
Mini Philosophy
Philip Pullman: The thing every writer needs to overcome
"I will not reason and compare: my business is to create."
Jonny Thomson
Illustration in Aztec style showing four people with headdresses holding plants, a flower, and a drum, appearing to engage in a ceremonial or festive activity that explores themes of moral luck.
Mini Philosophy
Aztec philosophy: How lucky you are to not be in prison right now
Nick was always an angry boy, but he was unlucky as well.
Jonny Thomson
Three women in historical attire are shown reading different books, captured in a detailed, vintage-style illustration with fine linework.
Mini Philosophy
The 3 types of reading (and the 2 you’ll pick)
Skim or scan this. No need to deep-read.
Jonny Thomson
Illustration of a person in a suit with a birdcage as a head; a red bird is perched inside the cage, symbolizing indoctrination and the constraints placed on free thought.
Mini Philosophy
The philosophy of indoctrination and how to fix it
Some people are always at war.
Jonny Thomson
Two illustrated flowers, one red and one white, stand in grass with handwritten text and red paint splatters in the background, evoking a sense of myth and timeless storytelling.
Mini Philosophy
The 3 colors: What folktales teach about how to grow wise
Ambition. Descent. Wisdom.
Jonny Thomson
Three men in dark clothing sit and talk on a small boat in a harbor with ships and calm water in the background, under a hazy sky.
Mini Philosophy
3 ways to think and talk like a philosopher
"Broadly speaking, it's at least plausible, this might be right."
Jonny Thomson
A person's hand stupidly reaches toward the open mouth of a crocodile with visible sharp teeth against a gradient background.
Mini Philosophy
How to spot a stupid person with Carlo Cipolla’s “golden law of stupidity”
How many stupid acts does it take to make a person stupid?
Jonny Thomson
A man in overalls, an example of epistemic trespassing, holds wrenches while standing between surgeons in scrubs and masks performing surgery.
Mini Philosophy
“Epistemic trespassing”: Why brilliant people say idiotic things
Not all knowledge carries over.
Jonny Thomson
A person in white clothing is partially emerging from a wooden coffin, one hand gripping the lid and the other reaching out, evoking a sense of nostalgia for stories of the past.
Mini Philosophy
Buried alive, leeched, and attacked with a poker: The dark history of nostalgia “cures”
Today, nostalgia is somewhat kitsch. Back then, it was something to be feared.
Jonny Thomson
A grayscale illustration of a wizard leader with a hat and staff is centered on a spiral background, bordered by torn yellow paper on a grid-lined surface.
Big Think+
The Gandalf Effect: The most important thing for any leader
Three virtues every good leader must develop.
Jonny Thomson
Two people sit on white chairs facing each other, both smiling and dressed formally, on a brightly lit stage with a blue and white background.
Mini Philosophy
The Oprah Rule: What everyone wants you to say in a conversation  
People don't want you to buy their stories — they want you to listen to them.
Jonny Thomson
Person wearing a Santa Claus suit rakes sand in a purposeful pattern, resembling a Zen garden, against a beige background.
Mini Philosophy
All I want for Christmas is a sense of purpose
Santa's done really well this year.
Jonny Thomson
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