Quest2ReasonClimb the mountain, sharpen your mind.

Your quest

Choose your quest companion

Pick one of 93 philosophers as your quest companion. Your companion cheers you on; every companion climbs the same path, and you can change at any time.

  1. Read one short idea.
  2. Answer two quick questions, about 4 minutes in all.
  3. Climb the mountain and keep your streak.

Not sure? Start with Socrates. The first lesson is his. Change companions whenever you like.

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All philosophers

Gargi VachaknaviVedic Dialecticianc. 8th–7th century BCESouth AsianLaoziSage of the DaoTraditional, 6th century BCEEast AsianConfuciusThe Teacher551–479 BCEEast AsianSiddhartha Gautama, the BuddhaThe Awakened Onec. 5th century BCESouth AsianSocratesThe Questionerc. 470–399 BCEGreek and RomanMozi (Mo Di)Philosopher of Impartial Care5th century BCEEast AsianPlatoFounder of the Academyc. 428–348 BCEGreek and RomanDiogenesCynic Provocateurc. 404–323 BCEGreek and RomanAristotlePhilosopher of the Mean384–322 BCEGreek and RomanMencius (Mengzi)The Second Sagec. 372–289 BCEEast AsianZhuangziThe Butterfly Dreamerc. 369–286 BCEEast AsianEpicurusTeacher of the Garden341–270 BCEGreek and RomanXunziConfucian Realistc. 310–235 BCEEast AsianHan FeiTheorist of Law and Methodc. 280–233 BCEEast AsianMarcus Tullius CiceroStatesman and Philosopher106–43 BCEGreek and RomanLucius Annaeus SenecaStoic Letter-Writerc. 4 BCE–65 CEGreek and RomanEpictetusStoic Teacherc. 50–135 CEGreek and RomanMarcus AureliusPhilosopher-Emperor121–180 CEGreek and RomanNagarjunaPhilosopher of Emptinessc. 150–250 CESouth AsianAugustine of HippoPhilosopher of the Restless Heart354–430Greek and RomanHypatia of AlexandriaAlexandrian Polymathc. 355–415 CEGreek and RomanAnicius Manlius Severinus BoethiusThe Consoled Prisonerc. 477–524Greek and RomanShantidevaPoet of the Bodhisattva Path8th centurySouth AsianIbn SinaThe Physician-Philosopher980–1037Islamic worldAnselm of CanterburyPhilosopher of Faith Seeking Understanding1033–1109EuropeanAbu Hamid al-GhazaliTheologian of Doubt1058–1111Islamic worldIbn Rushd (Averroes)The Commentator1126–1198Islamic worldZhu XiNeo-Confucian Synthesizer1130–1200East AsianMoses MaimonidesRabbi, Physician and Philosopher1138–1204JewishEihei DogenFounder of Soto Zen in Japan1200–1253East AsianJalal al-Din RumiPersian Sufi Mystic1207–1273Islamic worldThomas AquinasMedieval Scholastic1225–1274EuropeanWilliam of OckhamFranciscan Logicianc. 1287–1347EuropeanIbn KhaldunHistorian of Civilizations1332–1406Islamic worldNiccolò MachiavelliPolitical Realist1469–1527EuropeanMichel de MontaigneInventor of the Essay1533–1592EuropeanRené DescartesPhilosopher of Method1596–1650EuropeanZera YacobEthiopian Rationalist1599–1692African and diasporaBaruch SpinozaThe Lens Grinder1632–1677EuropeanSor Juana Inés de la CruzDefender of Women’s Learning1648–1695AmericasVoltaireEnlightenment Thinker1694–1778EuropeanDavid HumeThe Great Skeptic1711–1776EuropeanJean-Jacques RousseauPhilosopher of the General Will1712–1778EuropeanImmanuel KantThe Critic of Reason1724–1804EuropeanJeremy BenthamPhilosopher of Utility1748–1832EuropeanMary WollstonecraftAdvocate of Reason1759–1797EuropeanGeorg Wilhelm Friedrich HegelPhilosopher of History1770–1831EuropeanArthur SchopenhauerPhilosopher of the Will1788–1860EuropeanJohn Stuart MillDefender of Liberty1806–1873EuropeanSøren KierkegaardPhilosopher of the Single Individual1813–1855EuropeanKarl MarxCritic of Capital1818–1883EuropeanWilliam JamesPragmatist and Psychologist1842–1910AmericasFriedrich NietzschePhilosopher with a Hammer1844–1900EuropeanHenri BergsonPhilosopher of Duration1859–1941EuropeanJohn DeweyPhilosopher of Democracy and Education1859–1952AmericasAlfred North WhiteheadPhilosopher of Process1861–1947EuropeanW. E. B. Du BoisSociologist of the Color Line1868–1963African and diasporaMohandas GandhiThe Satyagrahi1869–1948South AsianNishida KitaroFounder of the Kyoto School1870–1945East AsianMartin BuberPhilosopher of Dialogue1878–1965JewishAldo LeopoldVoice of the Land Ethic1887–1948AmericasWatsuji TetsuroPhilosopher of Betweenness1889–1960East AsianB. R. AmbedkarArchitect of India’s Constitution1891–1956South AsianAntonio GramsciTheorist of Hegemony1891–1937EuropeanJean-Paul SartreExistentialist Writer1905–1980EuropeanHannah ArendtPhilosopher of the Public Realm1906–1975EuropeanEmmanuel LevinasPhilosopher of the Face1906–1995JewishSimone de BeauvoirPhilosopher of Ambiguity1908–1986EuropeanSimone WeilPhilosopher of Attention1909–1943EuropeanAlan TuringPioneer of Computing1912–1954EuropeanAlbert CamusPhilosopher of the Absurd1913–1960EuropeanNelson MandelaThe Reconciler1918–2013African and diasporaG. E. M. AnscombePhilosopher of Action1919–2001EuropeanIris MurdochNovelist and Philosopher of Vision1919–1999EuropeanPhilippa FootPhilosopher of Natural Goodness1920–2010EuropeanPaulo FreirePhilosopher of Liberating Education1921–1997AmericasJohn RawlsTheorist of Justice1921–2002AmericasFrantz FanonPsychiatrist of Liberation1925–1961African and diasporaMichel FoucaultHistorian of Systems of Thought1926–1984EuropeanMaya AngelouThe Witness1928–2014African and diasporaBernard WilliamsPhilosopher of Moral Luck1929–2003EuropeanKwasi WireduPhilosopher of Consensus1931–2022African and diasporaEnrique DusselPhilosopher of Liberation1934–2023AmericasDaniel KahnemanPsychologist of Judgment1934–2024AmericasDaniel DennettNaturalist of the Mind1942–2024AmericasDerek ParfitPhilosopher of Persons1942–2017EuropeanHenry Odera OrukaPhilosopher of the Sages1944–1995African and diasporaSusan Moller OkinPhilosopher of Justice in the Family1946–2004AmericasMartha NussbaumPhilosopher of Emotions and Capabilitiesborn 1947AmericasRobin Wall KimmererBotanist of Reciprocityborn 1953IndigenousDavid ChalmersPhilosopher of Consciousnessborn 1966AmericasAminaThe GriotAn invented guide, not a historical personAfrican and diasporaInvented guideKetan, the GuideGuide to Indigenous ThoughtAn invented guide, not a historical personIndigenousInvented guide