Philosophical Dictionary

It sounds like a riddle: you can do what you want, but you can’t want what you want. Schopenhauer meant the idea literally, and Einstein found it consoling. We trace the line to the 1839 essay behind it, unpack his theory of will, motive and character, and ask: if you never chose your wants, who is to blame?

Last Thursdayism says the universe was created last Thursday, memories included. It began as a joke about a Victorian naturalist who gave Adam a navel and the earth fossils it never needed. Bertrand Russell turned it into a puzzle about memory. Why can no evidence refute it, and why do we still not believe it?

We explain philosophy memes so you actually know why you're laughing.

We explain philosophy memes so you actually know why you're laughing.

We explain philosophy memes so you actually know why you're laughing.

We explain philosophy memes so you actually know why you're laughing.