Jonny Thomson
Jonny Thomson taught philosophy in Oxford for more than a decade before turning to writing full-time. He’s a staff writer at Big Think, where he writes about philosophy, theology, psychology, and occasionally other subjects when he dares step out of his lane. His first book, Mini Philosophy, is an award-winning, international bestseller, and has been translated into 20 languages. His second book, Mini Big Ideas, was published in 2023.
Lockdowns moved the burden of COVID from the at-risk elderly to the less-at-risk young. Does this sacrifice merit compensation?
How to figure out the right amount of time for any project.
When ancient humans stared into the darkness, they imagined monsters. Today, staring into the future, AI is the monster.
The problem with carnivores turned omnivores.
A single knife is sometimes worth more than a thousand armies.
Exile is a kind of death of who you once were.
That completely useless thing you want to get rid of — it's probably more important than you think.
Gladiators fought in rounds, and there were referees to enforce rules. Only rarely were gladiators killed.
There are many things in life that cannot be improved with greater effort. Sometimes, life requires that you step back.
In hospice care and hospitals, we prioritize those with more life to live over those who are terminally ill. What is that, if not prejudice?
We often assume that movement means progress and that doing something is better than doing nothing. That is often not true.
We are wired to value things more when we work hard at attaining them — even if, objectively, they aren't worth that much.
Your BS detector might not be as accurate as you think.
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.
For J.R.R. Tolkien, the single most important element of a fairy tale was the dramatic reversal of misfortune in the story's ending.
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.