Life — August 9, 1883 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "School of Philosophy" This satirical cartoon depicts a crowded, informal lecture scene titled "School of Philosophy," with a caption referencing "His Essay on 'The Thingness of the Is.'" The cartoon mocks pretentious philosophical discourse. A central figure sits prominently, appearing to hold forth to an assembled crowd of listeners in what seems a cramped, working-class setting. The dense crosshatching and crowded composition suggest chaos rather than dignified intellectual pursuit. The satire appears to target either a specific philosopher's obscure essay or more broadly ridicules abstract philosophy that prioritizes incomprehensible wordplay ("thingness of the is") over practical sense. The ragged, ordinary appearance of the "students" suggests Life magazine is mocking both the pretension of philosophical lecturing and perhaps the gullibility of audiences drawn to such incomprehensible intellectual posturing.