Jonny Thomson

Jonny Thomson

Jonny Thomson taught philosophy in Oxford for more than a decade before turning to writing full-time. He’s a columnist at Big Think and is the award-winning, bestselling author of three books that have been translated into 22 languages.

Jonny is also the founder of Mini Philosophy, a social network of around two million curious, intelligent minds. He's known all over the world for making philosophy accessible, relatable, and fun. 

Illustration of a smiling man wearing glasses against a geometric background, unraveling the secret of good AI.
The technology is not a replacement for human labor — it's a way to complement existing human tasks.
Monochrome portrait of a man with curly hair superimposed on an abstract background featuring skyscrapers, geometric patterns, and elements of machine learning marketing.
Big Think talks to Konrad Feldman — founder of advertising tech innovator Quantcast.
Collage of classical art suggesting a theme related to somatic markers.
Ditch the old brain vs. heart assumptions, and instead think about a heart-led brain.
A group of cult members dressed in white participating in an outdoor gathering or ceremony under a partly cloudy sky.
Or are cults the religions we find distasteful?
A man with a beard embodying the Protestant work ethic.
How would you feel about working like a Lutheran or a Cistercian?
An image of a person holding a pair of binoculars with the new happy face on it.
Happiness is not a five-star holiday. It's often the result of struggle — and asking for help, as author Stephanie Harrison recently told Big Think.
A broken alarm clock on a purple background, reminiscent of a Tali Sharot study.
Neuroscientist Tali Sharot recently spoke with Big Think about a two-step method for escaping the dark sides of habits.
An etching of a whale.
When all your teammates fall for "the emperor's new clothes," the results can be disastrous — here's how to bust the groupthink.
Illustration of a vampire bat with outstretched wings.
At work we're often asked to be decisive — but how can we make an informed choice without complete information?
A man displaying conatus while running in the air.
We were not born to stagnate — the point of life (and work) is to go somewhere.
A collage of Heidegger and Sartre.
If the daily grind feels like Sartre's phony act of "bad faith," Heidegger's sense of "being" can help redefine your role.
A collage of images capturing a woman with her eyes closed, hinting at the possibility of sleep deprivation.
Big Think recently spoke with sleep psychologist Dr. Jade Wu about the surprising consequences of forgoing sleep.
Two large horned rams.
Ways to move forward when you're wrong and I'm right.
An image of a brain exhibiting the tetris effect.
Prolonged and repetitive tasks rewire us in profound ways – which can be a force for good at work.
A man sitting at a desk in isolation, with his hands on his head.
Depression applies to individuals and businesses alike — and so does the solution.
The Medea affect is brilliantly captured in this painting of a powerful woman brandishing a sword.
Parents will sometimes use children as weapons in their relationship battles — and the fallout can be devastating.
A man is holding a red ribbon, symbolizing the confusion of bureaucracy.
Intentions tend to get mangled by overreach in every complex organization — so dial up the charisma and the clarity.
A diagram of a circle and a linear arrow.
The "End of Days" defines how we see time.