Great Thinkers

Ideas that shaped the world

Great Thinkers is a collection of some of the most important ideas of Eastern and Western culture – drawn from the works of those philosophers, political theorists, sociologists, artists and novelists whom The School of Life believes have the most to offer to us today.

They've worked hard to make the thinkers in this book clear, relevant and charming, mining the history of knowledge to bring you the ideas they think have the greatest importance to our times. This book contains the canon of The School of Life, the gallery of individuals across the millenia who help to frame their intellectual project – and they have succeeded if, in the days and years ahead, you find yourself turning to their thinkers to illuminate the multiple dilemmas, joys and griefs of daily life.