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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 woman in white approaches a large, winged creature with a human face—an embodiment of ancient archtypes—partially hidden behind a rock in a mountainous landscape.
Mini Philosophy
Which of the 5 philosophical archetypes best describes you?
I'm definitely a Kitsune, but would a Kitsune actually say that?
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
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
A woman in a blue floral robe looks at her reflection in a mirror, her back partially turned to the viewer as she contemplates her identity.
Mini Philosophy
The tyrannous grip of extreme identity politics
Who polices our identities?
Jonny Thomson
A close-up drawing of a woman's face with her eyes closed, head tilted back in pleasure, and dramatic shadows cast across her cheeks and lips.
Mini Philosophy
How to get your ethically sourced pleasure
Pleasure is never bad — but its source can be.
Jonny Thomson
A woman with long red hair, wearing a puffer jacket, stands outdoors with passion in her gaze—holding binoculars and looking up as a camera hangs from her neck.
Mini Philosophy
3 ways to cultivate a passion
Be weird and esoteric because humans are weird and esoteric.
Jonny Thomson
A person with an illustrated book as a head—pages open, filled with wavy black lines—appears to be brain reading as they stand against a plain light green background.
Mini Philosophy
Can neuroscientists read your mind?
The technology might be much closer than you'd think.
Jonny Thomson
A woman displays stoicism as she grimaces, unfazed by a pancake landing on her head while holding a frying pan in a kitchen setting.
Mini Philosophy
To become wiser, society must relearn how to fail
Ryan Holiday on why wisdom depends on failure, experimentation, and the courage to admit when we’re wrong.
Jonny Thomson
Two women at a window; one leans on the sill smiling, perhaps sharing jokes, while the other stands behind, partially concealed, holding a white cloth to her face.
Mini Philosophy
The two types of jokes everyone tells
Is your humor affiliative or adversarial?
Jonny Thomson
Six orange origami shapes on a light background, with hand-drawn arrows connecting them to illustrate a progression or transformation—evoking themes of change and even human extinction.
Mini Philosophy
If humans went extinct, could we re-evolve?
Maybe — just don't expect a carbon copy.
Jonny Thomson
Japanese woodblock print of people sweeping and cleaning a kondo, with straw mats, lanterns, and various objects visible in the background.
Mini Philosophy
6 Japanese concepts you need to know, according to Marie Kondo
It's not just about the home; it's about everything.
Jonny Thomson
Silhouettes of two people facing each other, clinking wine glasses against an orange background, sharing a lighthearted, possibly drunk moment.
Mini Philosophy
The “intoxication thesis”: The evolutionary benefits of getting drunk
Getting drunk might be bad for you but good for us.
Jonny Thomson
Two figures in dark robes bow deeply toward each other on a light background, evoking the spirit of naikan in a traditional Japanese ink illustration style.
Mini Philosophy
Ask these 3 “Naikan” questions for a happier, healthier attitude toward life
You are held, shaped, and sustained by a thousand invisible hands.
Jonny Thomson
A person wearing a wide-brim hat and vest crouches beside a tree stump covered with various fungi, gazing in wonder at the fascinating growths in the green forested area.
Mini Philosophy
3 ways to find and invite more wonder
Wonder is like a guest you haven’t planned for.
Jonny Thomson
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