• Jamal
    9.1k
    I noticed this on xkcd: 'Wikipedia trivia: if you take any article, click on the first link in the article text not in parentheses or italics, and then repeat, you will eventually end up at "Philosophy"'.

    So I tried it starting with the article on cheese. It took 13 clicks to get to philosophy.

    From "Squirrel", just 11 clicks, perhaps reflecting the fact that squirrels are more basic constituents of the world than cheese (discuss).

    To my surprise, from "Love" it took 13 clicks, even though it seems closer to philosophy than squirrels, being an abstract concept and not a rodent.

    Justin Bieber: 14 clicks

    One Direction: 14 clicks

    There you have it: squirrels are more philosophical than cheese, love, Justin Bieber and One Direction.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel
  • bert1
    1.8k
    That's really interesting. It's like going down the family tree of knowledge, starting with the particular and moving to the general and ending in philosophy at the trunk. Presumably this doesn't work so well with other subject areas like, say, economics... I'll try.

    ...Nope, once we get to philosophy it starts looping back on itself via existence, ontology and other such abstract universal concepts.
  • Jamal
    9.1k
    It was quite remarkable that in each case the last several steps were the same, beginning at natural science, even in the case of Bieber.
  • ProbablyTrue
    203
    Diamond was nine clicks.
  • Wosret
    3.4k
    "Hair" is 8 clicks. Woman 10 clicks, and man 9.
  • shmik
    207
    Sam Harris - 22 clicks X-)
  • Jamal
    9.1k
    @shmik's in the lead so far.

    The object of the game, I suppose, is to find the least philosophical thing on wikipedia. Note: when any links go to a wiktionary entry I go back and click on the next link.
  • ProbablyTrue
    203
    Murder is 24 clicks. Helps to be in incognito mode to keep the links fresh.
  • Baden
    15.6k
    Religion, 11 clicks. On a par with squirrels then.
  • Baden
    15.6k
    Donald Trump, 11 clicks. Las Vegas, 14 clicks. The Click, 12 clicks. :-|
  • Michael
    14k
    Philosophy is 4 clicks.
  • Benkei
    7.1k
    19 for "contract".

    Infinte for "conscious" and "aware" because they loop back on themselves.
  • Michael
    14k
    Aha.

    JokePunch lineJoke.

    The joke's on xkcd.
  • shmik
    207
    It take 13 clicks from "Getting to philosophy" according to the article Getting to philosophy.
  • Jamal
    9.1k
    Almost, but the first link in consciousness is 'quality'.
  • Moliere
    4k
    "computer" is a mere 9 clicks away.
  • Moliere
    4k
    Haha. "Kant" is 13 clicks away. :D Squirrels appear to have something truly profound to say.
  • bert1
    1.8k
    Infinte for "conscious" and "aware" because they loop back on themselves.Benkei

    Wooow, you can't get more fitting than that! This is amazing. Consciousness knows consciousness by reflexion.
  • Michael
    14k
    Although, as @jamalrob says, he's wrong. Consciousness is 2 clicks and Awareness is 3 clicks.
  • Baden
    15.6k
    Baden, 13 clicks. Beaten by squirrels. And religion. Holding my own with cheese though.
  • bert1
    1.8k
    22 for 'plank'. 'Murder' is the record holder so far.
  • Michael
    14k
    Plank is 14, Murder is 23, and Sam Harris is 10. See WikiLoopr.
  • bert1
    1.8k
    WikiLoopr makes it easier.

    'Mangle' gets stuck in a different loop. But all the other ones I've tried get stuck at ontology and philosophy. I find that immensely pleasing for some reason.
  • shmik
    207
    Cool site though it's not strictly accurate, try Sam Harris yourself.
  • Michael
    14k
    Yeah, it's picking up the italicized cultura in Literature.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k
    School is 5 clicks to infinity. When it gets to awareness it circle to conscious.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k
    Shit is 13 clicks to infinity, it also hits the aware conscious loop.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k
    This is fun but I have work to do, work by the way seems to be a one clicker.
  • Michael
    14k
    There is no aware-conscious loop. The first link in consciousness is quality which then goes to philosophy.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k
    There is no aware-conscious loopMichael

    You're right, blame it on Benkei, I just followed his lead. :-}
    Just goes to show that you should never believe the things you see on the internet without checking it out first.
    So school runs out to 8 clicks.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k
    And shit is ten. :P
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