Iris Murdoch was a novelist and philosopher who explored morality through the inner life, emphasising attention, imagination and the struggle against ego. Her work unites fiction and ethics, revealing how we become good not through sudden decisions but through how we see others and the world.
Apollonius of Tyana was a 1st-century philosopher, mystic, and traveller whose life blurred the lines between reason and revelation. Revered by some as a holy man and dismissed by others as a magician, he became a legendary rival to Christ and a symbol of philosophy’s mystical edge in the ancient world.
Plutarch turned biography into moral philosophy. By comparing the lives of Greece’s and Rome’s greatest figures, he explored not power, but character — and taught that virtue defines true greatness.
Jesus of Nazareth lived only a few decades, yet his words, actions, and legacy reshaped the moral and spiritual landscape of humanity. Whether seen as the Son of God, a prophet, or a revolutionary teacher, his story still challenges how we think about love, justice, and the power of humility.