Mini Philosophy

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The image shows the word "MINIPHILOSOPHY" in large, white, capital letters on a white background.
Pause the busyness of life to reflect on ourselves, our relationships, and the Universe

Mini Philosophy is a place to slow down and think. It creates space to reflect on ourselves, our relationships, and the Universe, away from the noise and busyness of everyday life.

Through essays, interviews, and its newsletter, Mini Philosophy makes philosophy accessible and human. Subscribers get exclusive conversations with leading philosophers and become part of a thoughtful, supportive community of curious minds.

with

Jonny Thomson is a Big Think columnist and the award-winning, bestselling author of three books translated into 22 languages. A former philosophy teacher at Oxford, he is known for making philosophy accessible, relatable, and engaging.

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A silhouette of a head brimming with green grass and tiny flowers forms a brain-like shape, embodying sentience against a yellow textured background.
Could AI develop true intelligence without sentience? Philosopher Jonathan Birch explores the boundaries of artificial and evolved minds.
A sunflower with a detailed close-up of its center, showcasing spiral patterns intertwined with mathematics. Fibonacci sequence and mathematical diagrams elegantly overlay a serene blue background.
The artistic and the mathematical mind are not so far apart.
The golden statue of Athena stands prominently in a replica of the Parthenon interior, steeped in mythology. She holds a shield and a small figure, while the spacious setting boasts large columns and high ceilings.
An interview with renowned mythologist Martin Shaw about persona, presence, and how to spend life's finite time.
Blurred image of a thrilling football game in action under the night sky, with enthusiastic spectators on bleachers watching one of America's most exciting and sometimes dangerous sports.
"I think it's about time we stop allowing every male generation bang their frontal lobe through its most developmental stages."
An illustration intertwines reality with imagination, featuring a cow, a rainbow, and a human skull linked by red lines and targets.
Just because you can't experience it doesn't mean it's not real.
A statue of a thoughtful, seated philosopher on the right seems to be contemplating a calling, while a standing figure holding a lyre on the left adds harmony against the textured background.
If you're an atheist with a vocation, who laid that path for you?
A gloved hand grips a vaccine-loaded syringe, framed by a red-tinted portrait of a historical figure in the center and a grainy black-and-white landscape on the right.
"I have a friend who thinks vaccines cause autism," writes Nina. "What can I do?"
Animated characters observe a family walking in a snowy scene through a viewing screen, inside a control room.
There’s little more infuriating in the world than being told to “calm down” when you’re in the midst of a simmering grump.
Black and white image of two people in hats with "The End" text, next to a red-toned anatomical illustration of a heart.
How can "you" move on when the old "you" is gone?
Five Lego minifigures standing in a line, each with distinct facial expressions and clothing, against a split white and orange background.
Reading this article would be such a millennial thing to do.
A composite image featuring a classical Greco-Roman statue embodying stoicism on the left and a Buddha statue symbolizing Buddhism on the right, overlaid with beige, red, and gray geometric patterns.
People often say, "Let go," or, "Don't take things to heart." But where's the line with this philosophy?
A collaged image featuring a partial American flag, a tip jar with coins, a percentage-tipping selection panel, a man's face making an awkward expression, and a close-up of striped fabric.
Why do we tip waitstaff and cabdrivers but not flight attendants and retail clerks?
Black and white photo of an American flag waving against a blurred background of buildings, framed by red and beige rectangular blocks.
In today’s political climate, how can we come together and seek some common ground or understanding? What are the mechanics of doing that? Is there some script or set of […]