Jonny Thomson
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 over half a million curious, intelligent minds. He's known all over the world for making philosophy accessible, relatable, and fun.
We are wired to value things more when we work hard at attaining them — even if, objectively, they aren’t worth that much.
By the end, even his mom wanted him gone.
For a plan to go as smooth as clockwork, be prepared to pounce on opportunity.
Many countries’ histories are governed by the familiar demographic story of growth, industrialization, and decline. But not France.
“Burke’s the butcher, Hare’s the thief, and Knox the man who buys the beef.” Read the story of 19th-century Scotland’s corpse dealers.
If someone can make you feel insecure, incomplete, and inadequate, they then can present themselves as the solution you need.
Discover the ancient wisdom of not pushing the river.
Discover how the threads of myth, legend, and artistry have been woven together by storytellers to craft history.
Intrinsic motivation cannot be imposed on a team — but you can provide the right culture for it to flourish.
Considering the astronomical occupational risks, life insurance was prohibitively expensive for the first NASA astronauts.
The answer may lie in the power to see far, far beyond yourself.
You can’t farm spiders — but putting spider genes into silkworms works even better.
If you give yourself and others space to tinker and experiment, then you might create something incredible. Here’s how to do it well.
You are much more likely to die in a car crash than from terrorism. Yet, philosopher Eran Fish says fearing terrorism more is justified.
The philosophy of sex is going through a recalibration period.
Rooted in Vedic philosophy, “anupalabdhi” — or “non-apprehension” — can help you exploit gaps in the market.
There’s nothing like the end of the world to make you a philosopher.
Want to write a time-travel story? Do so at your own risk.
In an attempt to prove Christianity inferior to communism, a Soviet scientist hoped to play God.
Defamiliarization is a common tool in the arts. Here we learn how seeing things from a different angle can lead to billion-dollar success.
In a world without clocks, people used common activities in place of time units. How long it took you to go to the toilet mattered.
There are issues with Kinsey’s data, but his books revolutionized Americans’ thinking about sex and sexuality.
Will you die when your body dies?
“Conceptual isolation” offers an agreeable solution.
If you feel like you’re missing out on something bigger, you might be feeling saṃvega.
Quality down time is important for relationships. Here are three practical suggestions to create more of it.
Is mindfulness really the panacea it’s touted to be, or are we glossing over some fundamental flaws?
Do you really need a monstrous upbringing to make monsters?
If you see life as only a source of suffering and misery, why bring anyone else into that? This belief, called anti-natalism, is on the rise.
According to bushido, your life is of secondary importance to key virtues, like honor, loyalty, and justice.