Philosopher-Celebrity Lookalikes

Philosopher-Celebrity Lookalikes


Brian Talbot (Washington University in St. Louis) has been pairing up well-known philosophers with the celebrities who look like them. He kindly agreed to let me share the idea with you. Here’s my favorite so far:

Hume Lovitz

That’s David Hume and Jon Lovitz.

This match, owed to Julia Staffel, is also quite good:

Descartes Sambora

Descartes and Richie Sambora, of course.

Your additions welcome in the comments, but let’s try to not insult any living philosophers.

UPDATE: It turns out that it may be rather difficult, and perhaps impossible, for some people to add images in the comments as the site is currently configured. So if you mention the links to the images in the comments, or email them to me at [email protected], I will add them to this post below the fold.


from Clayton:
audi gazzara

Robert Audi & Ben Gazzara


from Clayton:

Wright Urquidez

Crispin Wright & Benny Urquidez


From me:

socrates-the-teacher zach-galifianakis-close-up

Socrates & Zach Galifianakis


from David Boonin:
Picture1
Hobbes & Worf


feuillet123 suggests Quine and Patrick Stewart, but I think Ian McKellan could play the role, too.
quinestewartmckellan
Stewart, Quine, McKellan


from anon1:
Rand Moss
Ayn Rand & Elisabeth Moss


from Thomas Brouwer:

Bernard_Bolzano Richard_E_Grant

Bernard Bolzano & Richard E. Grant


from David Boonin:
Ayer o'keeffe

A.J. Ayer & Georgia O’Keeffe


from Eric Hagedorn:
nozick george-clooney-cannes-01
Robert Nozick & George Clooney


from Eric Hagedorn:
kant2 Gollum
Kant & Gollum


from SM:

kierkegaard Michael-Pitt

Soren Kierkegaard & Michael Pitt


from Eddy Nahmias:
Wittgenstein,Ludwig kerouac2
Ludwig Wittgenstein & Jack Kerouac


from Tamler Sommers:
Williams orbach
Bernard Williams & Jerry Orbach


from PCY:
wittgenstein2 Peter Capaldi BW Web

Wittgenstein & Peter Capaldi


from fan:
Judith_Thomsondench
Judith Jarvis Thomson & Judi Dench


from Clayton:
pschurchland gunn

Patricia Churchland & Anna Gunn


from David Brink:
rawlsoldman
John Rawls & Gary Oldman


from Clayton:
Henderson macy

David Henderson & William H. Macy


from Steven Hales:
Nelson Munster
Nelson Goodman & Grandpa Munster (Al Lewis)


from Michael Glawson

rorty-richardgingrich

Richard Rorty & Newt Gingrich


from Ben Hale:
Foucault Malkovich
Michel Foucault & John Malkovich


from JG:
hobbes 2 theoden01

Hobbes & Theoden (Bernard Hill)


from YL:
ElsterMichael Caine - Viennale (Vienna International Film Festival) 2012 at Gartenbaukino
Jon Elster & Michael Caine


from Carl B. Sachs:
Foucault5 Savalas

Michel Foucault & Telly Savalas


from Newton:
LeibnizElvira
Leibniz & Elvira


from Clayton:
craig Shearer

William Lane Craig & Harry Shearer


from me:

SidgwickMcConaughey

Henry Sidgwick & Matthew McConaughey


from Kenneth Burke:
Up Habermas
Jurgen Habermas & Carl Fredericksen (Up)


from Gwen Bradford:
Schopenhauerjohnny-depp-judging-reality-show

Arthur Schopenhauer & Johnny Depp


from Ben B.:

spinozaseinfeld

Baruch Spinoza & Jerry Seinfeld


from Ben B,:
Chalmers Sheen
David Chalmers & Michael Sheen


from Ben B.:
baudelaire McEnroe

Charles Baudelaire & John McEnroe


from Ben B.:
ThoreauEllen DeGeneres, host of the 79th Academy Awards telecast.
Henry David Thoreau & Ellen DeGeneres


from Ben B.:
MillCharles Dance

John Stuart Mill & Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister on Game of Thrones)


from Ben B.:
NagelMoore
Thomas Nagel & Dudley Moore


from Ben B.:

Heidegger Jeffrey Jones

Martin Heidegger & Jeffrey Jones


from Ben B.:
derrida Falk2

Jacques Derrida & Peter Falk


from Ben B.:
SchopenhauerWalken
Arthur Schopenhauer & Christopher Walken


from Anonymous:
LeiterHenry-James
Brian Leiter & Henry James


from anon1:
Nussbaum 1 Nussbaum 2

Martha Nussbaum & Martha Nussbaum


from David Taylor:
McTaggart, by V.H. Mottram 1909Banner
J.M.E. McTaggart & John Banner (Sgt. Shulz)


from David Boonin:
emersonDeNiro
Ralph Waldo Emerson & Robert De Niro


from MS:
LockeBrody
John Locke & Adrian Brody


from Ben B.:
Frankena, William K Robbins

William Frankena & Tim Robbins


from Ben B.:
Ramseyhoffman
Frank Ramsey & Philip Seymour Hoffman


from Ben B.:
Russell kramer
Bertrand Russell & Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer)


from Not sayin:

WilliamsonSellars
Timothy Williamson & Peter Sellars


from Not Sayin:

roger scrutonSundance Festival founder Robert Redford
Roger Scruton & Robert Redford


from Alan White:
SosaBridges
Ernest Sosa & Jeff Bridges


from bnonymous:
debeauvoirdreyfuss

Simone de Beauvoir & Julia Louis-Dreyfus


from bnonymous:
frickergarner

Miranda Fricker & Jennifer Garner


from bnonymous:
andersondunham

Elizabeth Anderson & Lena Dunham


from anonymous66:
Kammemond
Frances Kamm & Linda Emond


from anonymous66:
korsgaard2010_photo4 Julie & Julia (2009)

Christine Korsgaard & Meryl Streep


from ls:
Dennett Santa-in-snow

Daniel Dennett & Santa Claus


from anonymous:

SoamesDaniels

Scott Soames & Jeff Daniels


from anonymous:

LangtonRoberts

Rae Langton & Julia Roberts


from Clayton:
Alston Walston

William Alston & Ray Walston


from Dale Miller:
hookerchapin

Brad Hooker & Harry Chapin


from Tait Szabo:
Marx1hagrids-beard
Karl Marx & Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid from Harry Potter)


from anonymous:
Davis Paradis

Angela Davis & Vanessa Paradis


from anonymous:

West Smith

Cornel West & Kevin Smith (Silent Bob)


from anonymous:
Protevi Smith

John Protevi & Will Smith


from anonymous:
Plato Starr

Plato & Ringo Starr


from Anonymous:
Larmore Garfunkel

Charles Larmore & Art Garfunkel


from Brian Talbot:
Avicenna Bill Murray

Avicenna & Bill Murray


from Clayton:
Popper Imperioli

Karl Popper & Michael Imperioli


from Clayton:
Grayling Lion

A.C. Grayling & Bert Lahr


from http://piony.livejournal.com/263510.html via Dale Miller:
Parfit2 warhol
Derek Parfit & Andy Warhol


from Kareem Khalifa:
Brandom Hill
Robert Brandom & Dusty Hill (ZZ Top)


from Kate Norlock:
Haslanger Curtis
Sally Haslanger & Jamie Lee Curtis


from Janice Dowell and friends:
Sobel MacNee
David Sobel & Patrick Macnee


from me:
Parfit Arthur
Derek Parfit & Bea Arthur


From Rob Tempio:
Feyerabend Henderson
Paul Feyerabend & David Henderson (aka Arhus Filch from Harry Potter)


from Glen Kappel:
Fodor Durning

 

Jerry Fodor & Charles Durning


from Glen Kappel:
Camus Ozil
Albert Camus & Mesut Ozil


from Glen Kappel:
Chomsky Allen

Noam Chomsky & Woody Allen


from anonymous:
Nussbaum Plant 1

Martha Nussbaum & Robert Plant


from Steve Nadler:
Leibniz May

Gottfried Leibniz & Brian May


from anonymous:
Alcoff Spacek

Linda Alcoff & Sissy Spacek


 

from Jeanette Kennett:

Smith Neeson

Michael Smith & Liam Neeson


from Carole Parker:

Camus Dean

Albert Camus & James Dean


from Stephen Turner:
Hagerstrom King

Axel Hägerström and Don King


from Hungarian Admirer:

Mele Brian

Al Mele and Brian the dog (from Family Guy)


from David Boonin:

Jeff McMahan and Mark Hamill

Boonin notes: JM = Jeff McMahan but also Jedi Master.

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Clayton
9 years ago

I think Robert Audi bears more than a passing resemblance to Ben Gazzara:

RA: http://professorships.nd.edu/assets/25071/gallo_audi_copy.jpg
BG: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz06h6EL4l1qbidbp.jpg

I’m sure a few people mistakenly thought that Crispin Wright had a minor part in Grosse Point Blank:

CW: http://philosophy.fas.nyu.edu/props/IO/1187/42/Crispin157.jpg
BU: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0882054/?ref_=tt_cl_t11

Clayton
9 years ago
Flavius Id
Flavius Id
Reply to  Clayton
6 years ago

This is clearly a young Robert Batterman.

David Boonin
David Boonin
9 years ago
feuillet123
9 years ago

Quine and Captain Picard looks similar too

anon1
anon1
9 years ago

Ayn Rand and Elisabeth Moss

Thomas Brouwer
Thomas Brouwer
9 years ago

Richard E. Grant is a dead ringer for Bernard Bolzano.

David Boonin
David Boonin
9 years ago
Eric Hagedorn
Eric Hagedorn
9 years ago

My students always claim that this picture of Robert Nozick looks like George Clooney: http://www.liberal-vision.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/nozick.jpg

Nick Wolterstorff looks a bit like Orville Redenbacher, just without the bowtie:
NW: http://www.calvin.edu/scs/images/people/wolterstorff2.jpg
OR: http://a3.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fill,g_face,h_300,q_80,w_300/MTE1ODA0OTcxNDM2NzA1Mjkz.jpg

And lastly, some of the portraits of Kant look an awful lot like Gollum from The Lord of the Rings:
Kant: http://www.keithmurphy.info/399/kant2.gif
Gollum: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Gollum.PNG

SM
SM
9 years ago

I think that the movie version of Kierkegaard [http://numerocinqmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/kierkegaard.jpg] might be played by Michael Pitt [http://www.creativeboysclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Michael-Pitt-Michelangelo-di-Battista-Prada.jpg].

Anon
Anon
9 years ago

There are a bunch of good ones at the metablog:

http://philosophymetablog.blogspot.com/2014/06/separated-at-birth.html

Liam
Liam
9 years ago

If fictional characters count, then Descartes and Captain Hook are dead ringers.

Tamler Sommers
Tamler Sommers
9 years ago

Bernard Williams and Jerry Orbach is uncanny.

http://lectures.princeton.edu/2006/bernard-williams/

PCY
PCY
9 years ago

For a slightly different take on Wittgenstein, there’s Peter Capaldi:

http://unitedagents.co.uk/sites/default/files/Peter%20Capaldi%20BW%20Web.jpg

David Brink
David Brink
9 years ago

There is a strong resemblance, I think, between John Rawls

http://www.liberales.be/pics/figuur/rawls.jpg

and Gary Oldman, in his recent role in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RoVCy9sxUEU/UJFTnEBlVOI/AAAAAAAACbs/bie4g7Y4qfc/s1600/593713-593712-tinker_tailor_soldier_spy_gary_oldman.png

David Boonin
David Boonin
9 years ago
David Boonin
David Boonin
9 years ago

Sorry, but can’t resist: John Stuart Mill and Alastair Norcross

http://www.utilitarian.net/jsmill/

http://vivo.colorado.edu/file/n5333/AlastairNorcross.jpg

Steven Hales
9 years ago
Michael Glawson
Michael Glawson
9 years ago
JG
JG
9 years ago
Carl B. Sachs
9 years ago

I’ve been told that I look like Frank Zappa, but since no one knows who I am, that’s not very interesting. There is, however, the well-known resemblance of

Michael Foucault: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/52/Foucault5.jpg and Terry Salavas: http://a2.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fill,g_face,h_300,q_80,w_300/MTIwNjA4NjM0MDYyNjAzNzg4.jpg.

Newton
Newton
9 years ago

Leibniz and Elvira

Kenneth Burke
9 years ago

Carl Fredrickson (Pixar’s film UP) and Juregen Habermas was suggested.
https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/2313841408/hEC62FA0B/

Ben B.
Ben B.
9 years ago

1. Spinoza and Seinfeld:
http://www.amsterdam-advisor.com/image-files/famous-people-from-amsterdam-baruch-de-spinoza-200×250.jpg
http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/1/11875/485888-jseinfeld_375x375.jpg

2. Dave Chalmers and Michael Sheen:
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MichaelSheen1_6613.jpg
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/r4SLOr2icnY/hqdefault.jpg

3. Baudelaire and John McEnroe:
http://www.the-philosophy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/baudelaire_crop.jpg
http://premierguidemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/John-McEnroe.jpg

4. Henry David Thoreau and Ellen:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_brIyg5OdFyg/SnFx40k9apI/AAAAAAAAQZk/uyhVzvMigFc/s1600-h/2.jpg
http://comediva.com/images/stories/ellen1.jpg

5. JS Mill and Tywin Lannister:
http://s2.hubimg.com/u/6824017_f260.jpg
http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1737597.ece/alternates/s615/Charles%20Dance.jpg

6. Thomas Nagel and Dudley Moore:
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/02/07/arts/07NAGEL/07NAGEL-superJumbo.jpg
http://www.rosiestillphotography.co.uk/gallery-images/celebrity-photos/b-dudley-moore-1973.jpg

7. Hegel and Peter Cook:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Hegel_portrait_by_Schlesinger_1831.jpg
http://www.standard.co.uk/incoming/article8091993.ece/alternates/w460/Peter-Cook.jpg

8. Heidegger and Jeffrey Jones:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/84/Martin_Heidegger.jpg
http://mellywilliams.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/principal_edward_r-_rooney_43.jpg

9. Derrida and Peter Falk:
http://www.franceculture.fr/sites/default/files/imagecache/ressource_full/2010/10/14/3148381/granderrida.jpg
http://www.independent.co.uk/migration_catalog/article5211668.ece/alternates/w620/4950929.jpeg
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/1055/Peter_Falk.jpg

10. Schopenhauer and Christopher Walken:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Arthur_Schopenhauer_Portrait_by_Ludwig_Sigismund_Ruhl_1815.jpeg
http://33.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdj8xwdjKh1rl9k39o1_400.jpg

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago
anon1
anon1
9 years ago

Nussbaum http://bit.ly/1rnCegn to be played by Nussbaum http://bit.ly/1AWdWL4

Jeff Heikkinen
Jeff Heikkinen
9 years ago

How about Chalmers and Geddy Lee, or Foucault and Moby?

John Protevi
9 years ago

Is this thread the best thing in the history of ever or the best thing in the HISTORY OF EVER?

Anon
Anon
9 years ago

Gotta say, that in that photo paired with Dudley Moore, I think Thomas Nagel looks more like Mr. Bean: http://i.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/mr-bean-is-ill__oPt.jpg

Of course, there’s Hubert Dreyfus and Professor Farnsworth:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_varEJRHnsms/Sr7n7Z-EwxI/AAAAAAAAAkA/ytaL5sqGLCo/s400/hubert_dreyfus.jpg
http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/professor_farnsworth__954597.png
(But that’s cheating, since the Futurama character was apparently inspired by Dreyfus, created by a former student.)

Anon
Anon
9 years ago
AJC
AJC
9 years ago

Scott Soames and Jeff Daniels ,
JC Beall and Pete Carroll ,
Stewart Shapiro and Richard Dreyfuss ,
Ted Sider and Lars Ulrich .

anon
anon
9 years ago
Kathleen Lowrey
Kathleen Lowrey
9 years ago

Charles sanders Peirce and Ryan Gosling

AnonymousPhil
AnonymousPhil
9 years ago

Am I the only one who finds this whole thread unhelpful and counter-revolutionary?

Tait Szabo
Tait Szabo
9 years ago
Dale Miller
9 years ago

This one turns out not to be original, since as I was looking for images I found it (and some other philosopher/celebrity doubles) here:
http://piony.livejournal.com/263510.html

Derek Parfit
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mxE_4jKXU1w/ToXxMy3Fy3I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/IpS9tqZB8Xw/s1600/Derek_Parfit.jpg
Andy Warhol
http://www.art-experience.co.uk/images/artists/warhol.jpg

The Ultimate Philosopher
9 years ago

using images already provided above:
Scott Soames and Harrison Ford
Slavoj Zizek and Ringo Starr

EvolCrea
EvolCrea
9 years ago

For Arthur Schopenhauer, think Cole Hauser.

John Collins
John Collins
9 years ago

http://collinsjohn.org/trotter-cooper.jpg

Charlie Trotter the legendary Chicago chef, and John Cooper, The Henry Putnam University Professor of Philosophy at Princeton. Uncanny, just uncanny.

John Collins
John Collins
9 years ago

http://collinsjohn.org/priest.jpg
Graham Priest: London-born paraconsistent logician and 3rd Dan Karate practitioner. Wrote “Beyond the Limits of Thought'” (1995, 2002)

http://collinsjohn.org/parker.jpg
Graham Parker: London-born new wave rocker. Wrote “Hey Lord, Don’t Ask Me Questions,” (1978).

BJW
BJW
9 years ago

The guitarist Jimmy Herring (lead guitar for Widespread Panic, jazz guitarist in multiple side bands) and Richard Heck look a lot alike.

Uncanny every time I watch football
Uncanny every time I watch football
9 years ago

The one that always gets me (though I suppose its just for American Football fans), is JC Beall and Pete Carroll (the Seahawks coach).

Charles Malone
Charles Malone
9 years ago
Jeanette Kennett
Jeanette Kennett
9 years ago

Michael Smith and Liam Neeson.

Scott Forschler
Scott Forschler
9 years ago
michael
michael
9 years ago

isn’t Hobbes’ doppelganger the British comedian Bill Bailey?
http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2010/07/09/1225889/725938-bill-bailey.jpg

Gustavo
Gustavo
9 years ago

I Think the most amazing philosopher celebrity lookalikes is Martin Heidegger and the brazilian novelist Carlos Heitor Cony. Its realy impressive.

This is Cony http://imagem.band.com.br/f_210553.jpg

Megan
Megan
8 years ago

This was a startling realization for me a while ago: Hobbes and David Crosby. https://twitter.com/twasmegan/status/615228107042127872

Branden Fitelson
8 years ago
Daniel Fincke
8 years ago

You misidentified David Bradley as David Henderson in the Feyerabend comparison.

Neil Baxter
Neil Baxter
7 years ago

Kant and Gollum, to which one can only reply, “Precious.”

Pinco Penco
Pinco Penco
3 years ago

Maybe it violates the rules a bit, but Carlo Penco (Uni of Genova) IS Ludwig Wittgenstein

http://www.dif.unige.it/epi/hp/penco/morphing.html

Genghis Cohen
2 years ago

Colin Macleod (University of Victoria) and Robert Picardo