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Plato was one of the world's earliest and possibly greatest philosophers. He matters because of his devotion to making humanity more fulfilled.
Plato made up an enduring story about why philosophy matters based on an allegory about a cave…
Plato’s theory of the forms is at the centre of his philosophy and teaches us the virtues of thinking about the ideal version of things.
We’re used to thinking hugely well of democracy. But interestingly, one of the wisest people who ever lived, Socrates, had deep suspicions of it.
Aristotle was the master of virtues. For gifts and more from The School of Life, visit our online
This Greek philosopher, one of our favourites, spent his life arriving at fascinating answers to the largest puzzle there is: What makes people happy?
How the Stoics can help us tackle anxiety, fury and loss of perspective - and realise that very little is needed to make a happy life.
The Consolation of Philosophy is the name of one of the greatest and most useful books ever written, the work of the Roman statesman and philosopher Boethius, who wrote it in prison as a way to ward of despair and regret. The lessons of the book remain hugely applicable to our own times - and deserve to be known to all of us in the face uncertain times.
The philosopher and theologian Augustine had fascinating things to say about success and failure.
Thomas Aquinas deserves to be remembered for reconciling faith with reason, thereby saving Western civilisation from turning its back on science and Greek and Roman wisdom.
Montaigne is a brilliant philosopher in part because he accepted how little philosophers understand. Here is a man wise in so far as he knew how rare wisdom really is.
The Duc de La Rochefoucauld wrote brilliant one-line philosophies in his famous book, The Maxims. He is a man for our own impatient, distracted times.
The French 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal is one of the world’s great pessimists- with an unusual power to cheer us up.
Rene Descartes is perhaps the world’s best known-philosopher, in large part because of his pithy statement, ‘I think therefore I am.’ He stands out as an example of what intellectual self-confidence can bring us.
Spinoza tried to replace the bible with a scientifically-based ethical system. He succeeded in theory but not in practice.
David Hume is one of Scotland’s greatest philosophers (Adam Smith is another, about whom we also have a film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejJRhn53X2M). His claim to greatness lies in his appreciation of ordinary experience, his descriptions of consciousness and his humane, tolerant approach to religious disputes.
Immanuel Kant was acutely aware of living in an age when philosophy would need to supplant the role once played by religion. This helped him to arrive at his most famous concept: the ‘categorical imperative.’
There's a particular pleasure to be felt in the mighty things of nature: thunderstorms, the stars, vast deserts, oceans, the icecaps. One philosopher who analysed our pleasure was Edmund Burke, who pinned a word to this sensation and theorised about why it was so nice: he gave us the concept of The Sublime.
Soren Kierkegaard is useful to us because of the intensity of his despair at the compromises and cruelties of daily life. He is a companion for our darkest moments.
Arthur Schopenhauer was deeply influenced by Buddhist thought and is in many ways the West’s answer to it: he too tells us to reign in our desires and adopt a consolingly pessimistic attitude to our struggles.
The German philosopher Hegel believed that strange and alien bits of history have much to teach us. He believed story and civilisation do not move in a straight line, so important ideas and attitudes get left behind.
The German philosopher Hegel helps us to understand that progress in societies is never linear, and that these societies may have to go through a variety of reversals before advancing, a process he termed ‘the dialectic.’
Nietzsche believed that the central task of philosophy was to teach us to 'become who we are'. You can find out more about him and other great thinkers in our 'Great Thinkers' book.
Friedrich Nietzsche was one of the great theorists of envy: he believed that envy is everywhere and that most of us don't even realise how much we feel it and the way it powers our behaviour. Having a good relationship with our envious tendencies was for Nietzsche a mark of maturity and wisdom. He is an indispensable guide to living more serenely around our envious pangs.
Nietzsche’s concept of the Superman is one of the most exciting and yet weird aspects of his thought. What did he really mean by this unusual word?
Friedrich Nietzsche had a particular fondness for a concept called (in Latin) 'amor fati', a Stoic acceptance of one's fate and a commitment to embrace reality, in all its beauty and pain.
A look at Martin Heidegger - an often incomprehensible but deeply valuable German philosopher who wanted us to lead more authentic lives.
Jean-Paul Sartre explored the problems and joys of being fundamentally free. Existentialism, the belief system with which he is associated, considers the anguish of freedom.
Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of ‘mauvaise foi’ or ‘bad faith’ is central to his philosophy. It’s a phenomenon of not being honest with ourselves and therefore, of undermining our chances of fulfilment.
The only real question of philosophy is whether or not we should commit suicide, said Albert Camus. His thought was constantly rich and provocative (and he dressed unusually well).
Ludwig Wittgenstein was a philosopher obsessed with the difficulties of language, who wanted to help us find a way out of some of the muddles we get into with words.
Michel Foucault was a philosophical historian who questioned many of our assumptions about how much better the world is today compared with the past. When he looked at the treatment of the mad, at the medical profession and at sexuality, he didn't see the progress that's routinely assumed.
Jacques Derrida was a key philosopher of modern times who made pioneering explorations into the subtexts of our key concepts.
The great sayings of Western Philosophy capture some of the most daring and helpful thoughts humans have ever exchanged. Here is a list of our favourites, which reflect the adventure and wisdom of philosophical history.
Emil Cioran is Romania’s most famous thinker: his darkly pessimistic philosophy is a perfect antidote to the sentimental cheeriness of our times.
