Quiz of the Day
Great Philosophers
Thursday, 15 October 2026
Marking Friedrich Nietzsche's birthday (Oct 15, 1844), a quiz on thinkers, big ideas, and the history of philosophy.
1. Which German philosopher, born on October 15, 1844, wrote 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra'?
- Georg Hegel
- Arthur Schopenhauer
- Immanuel Kant
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche was born in the village of Rocken, Prussia, on October 15, 1844. 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra', published in the 1880s, introduced his idea of the Ubermensch (overman). Nietzsche suffered a mental collapse in 1889 and spent his final years in the care of his mother and sister.
2. Which ancient Greek philosopher was famously sentenced to death by drinking hemlock in Athens?
- Socrates
- Aristotle
- Pythagoras
- Plato
Socrates was condemned to death in 399 BC on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens. He carried out the sentence by drinking a poison made from hemlock, as described in Plato's dialogue the 'Phaedo'. Socrates himself wrote nothing; we know his ideas mainly through the writings of his student Plato.
3. Which philosopher is famous for the statement 'I think, therefore I am'?
- Rene Descartes
- David Hume
- Baruch Spinoza
- John Locke
The French philosopher Rene Descartes expressed this idea as 'Cogito, ergo sum' in Latin. He reasoned that even if he doubted everything else, the very act of doubting proved that a thinking self existed. Descartes is often called the father of modern Western philosophy.
4. Plato founded a famous school of philosophy in Athens. What was it called?
- The Academy
- The Lyceum
- The Garden
- The Stoa
Plato founded the Academy around 387 BC on the outskirts of Athens, and it is often regarded as one of the first institutions of higher learning in the Western world. The word 'academy' derives from Akademos, the hero after whom the grove where it stood was named. Aristotle studied there for about twenty years before founding his own school, the Lyceum.
5. Which philosopher tutored Alexander the Great and founded the Lyceum?
- Epicurus
- Diogenes
- Aristotle
- Socrates
Aristotle was hired by King Philip II of Macedon to tutor his son Alexander, the future Alexander the Great. Aristotle later founded his own school in Athens called the Lyceum. His writings covered logic, biology, ethics, politics, and physics, shaping Western thought for centuries.
6. The ethical theory of utilitarianism, which judges actions by their consequences, is most associated with Jeremy Bentham and which other philosopher?
- Friedrich Engels
- Edmund Burke
- John Stuart Mill
- Thomas Hobbes
John Stuart Mill built on Jeremy Bentham's work to develop utilitarianism, the idea that the best action is the one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Mill's 1863 book 'Utilitarianism' remains a foundational text. He was also an early advocate of women's rights, publishing 'The Subjection of Women' in 1869.
7. Which philosopher wrote 'The Republic', a dialogue exploring justice and the ideal state?
- Plato
- Zeno
- Aristotle
- Cicero
Plato's 'The Republic' is one of the most influential works of philosophy ever written. In it he describes an ideal city ruled by philosopher-kings and presents the famous Allegory of the Cave. The dialogue features Socrates as its main speaker, a common feature of Plato's works.
8. Which 20th-century French philosopher was a leading figure of existentialism and wrote 'Being and Nothingness'?
- Jean-Paul Sartre
- Henri Bergson
- Albert Camus
- Michel Foucault
Jean-Paul Sartre published 'Being and Nothingness' in 1943 and became the face of French existentialism. He argued that 'existence precedes essence', meaning humans first exist and then define themselves through their choices. Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964 but declined it.
9. Which ancient Chinese philosopher's teachings emphasized ethics, family loyalty, and social harmony?
- Confucius
- Sun Tzu
- Laozi
- Mencius
Confucius lived from roughly 551 to 479 BC and taught a system of ethical and social conduct that deeply shaped Chinese civilization. His sayings were collected by his followers in a work known as the 'Analects'. Confucianism stresses virtues such as respect for elders, honesty, and benevolence.
10. Which German philosopher wrote the 'Critique of Pure Reason' and proposed the 'categorical imperative'?
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- Gottfried Leibniz
- Karl Marx
- Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant published the 'Critique of Pure Reason' in 1781, a landmark work in the theory of knowledge. His categorical imperative holds that one should act only according to rules one could will to become universal laws. Kant lived his entire life in the city of Konigsberg and was famous for his rigidly regular daily routine.
11. The phrase 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number' is linked to which school of ethical thought?
- Nihilism
- Utilitarianism
- Stoicism
- Rationalism
Utilitarianism judges the morality of an action by how much overall happiness or well-being it produces. The principle was championed by Jeremy Bentham, who tried to measure pleasure and pain quantitatively. Bentham's preserved body, known as his 'auto-icon', is still displayed at University College London.
12. Which philosopher co-wrote 'The Communist Manifesto' and authored 'Das Kapital'?
- Max Weber
- Vladimir Lenin
- Karl Marx
- Georg Hegel
Karl Marx co-wrote 'The Communist Manifesto' with Friedrich Engels in 1848, opening with the line 'A spectre is haunting Europe'. His later work 'Das Kapital' offered a sweeping critique of capitalism. Marx spent much of his later life in London, where he researched at the British Museum's reading room.
13. Which school of Hellenistic philosophy, founded by Zeno of Citium, taught that virtue and reason lead to a life free from destructive emotions?
- Epicureanism
- Stoicism
- Cynicism
- Skepticism
Stoicism was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium around 300 BC and took its name from the 'Stoa Poikile', or painted porch, where he taught. Stoics believed that living in accordance with reason and nature brings tranquility. Later Roman Stoics included the emperor Marcus Aurelius, whose private journal 'Meditations' is still widely read.
14. Which Austrian-British philosopher wrote the 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus' and made major contributions to the philosophy of language?
- Gottlob Frege
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
- Bertrand Russell
- Karl Popper
Ludwig Wittgenstein published the 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus' in 1921, arguing about the limits of language and famously concluding that 'whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent'. Later in life he radically revised his views in the posthumously published 'Philosophical Investigations'. Born into one of Europe's wealthiest families, he gave away his inherited fortune.
15. Which North African bishop and philosopher wrote 'Confessions' and 'The City of God', bridging classical thought and Christian theology?
- Thomas Aquinas
- Boethius
- Anselm of Canterbury
- Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo, who lived from 354 to 430 AD, served as bishop in the North African city of Hippo Regius in present-day Algeria. His 'Confessions' is often regarded as the first Western autobiography. 'The City of God' was written partly in response to the sack of Rome in 410 AD and shaped Christian philosophy for centuries.