@philosophyminis: I wrote in the piece on the Mini Philosophy Substack, where I argue that there are five different types of philosopher. Which one of these are you? First, there is the Sphinx. The Sphinx questions everything but answers nothing. They'll say something like, 'why do you think that way,' until you doubt your own existence. Socrates was the ultimate sphinx, and while they might be maddening, they are also effective. They are the midwives of knowledge. Second, the Leviathan. These are those who create and live by a system philosophy. There's one book, one philosophy, one idea that governs everything they do. It might be love, or God, or duty, or personal growth, or whatever. Their one system can explain everything. Third, there's the kitsune. The kitsune is a shapeshifter. They'll say something outrageous, but then retreat to a smile and a wink. No one quite knows if they are serious. Are they a nihilist, or are they just evasive? They seem to believe everything and nothing. But like the tricksters of myth, there's a depth to their slyness. Fourth, there is the Minotaur, who is lost in the mire of human suffering, mortality, and absurdity. They never escape the labyrinth, but make a dark and resigned home within it. They have no answers, just doom, gloom, and radical acceptance, and if you listen closely, you might hear Sisyphus laughing. Finally, the Garuda is the clarifier. They want definitions before any discussion. They say, 'what do you actually mean by that?' If you offer a metaphor, or anything vague, if it can't be formalised, it's not worth debating. They love logic and rationality. So which of the five do you most identify with, or are you a shifting mixture of them all?

Jonny Thomson

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Friday 06 February 2026 13:23:24 GMT