Wikipedia:Getting to Philosophy

The object of this game is to click on the first link in an article and repeat the process. About 93% of all articles seem to lead eventually to the article Philosophy. The rest get stuck in two-article loops. Now, isn't that fascinating? The question of why everything goes to philosophy is an interesting one. Feel free to add to the top ten list below or to update the list as links change.

Rules

• Chains are defined as ending either when Philosophy is reached or you get stuck in a loop.
• Red links and links to Wiktionary don't count
• Disambiguation headers etc. don't count; however, seemingly 'trivial' links such as people's date of birth and Latin definitions do.
• See Gaming The System below if you are considering changing the first link of an articles in the chain yourself.

Gaming The System

Because Wikipedia is an encyclopedia that anyone can edit, it is trivially easy to edit pages so as to break loops or change the length of chains in order to "win" this game. Because of this, all editors are asked as a matter of honor and fairness to abide by the following rules:

Don't edit a page for the sole purpose of changing how it ranks in this game. You can edit a page if you honestly believe that your edits improve the article, even if your real motive is to change how it ranks in this game, but do not hurt Wikipedia just to win a game.

If you are checking a top ten page and find that the length of the chain has changed, carefully look at the edit(s) that caused the change. If it improves the page, go ahead and edit the top ten list. If it is an obvious attempt to game the system at the expense of the page, undo the edit. If it is a marginal case, discuss it on the talk page before deciding what to do.

You can brag about finding a particularly long chain on this article's talk page, but please do not list your name on the main page. Doing that tempts others to game the system by editing a link in your chain and knocking it off the list, or to edit pages so that their chains ranks higher.

As you search for chains you will encounter loops. Breaking the loops can be helpful to Wikipedia because it isn't ideal to have two words define each other, but again, only break the loop in a way that improves the article. Links to more general topics are often improvements.

Remember, improving Wikipedia comes first, playing the game second.

Top Ten Chains

1. (42) Abaddon, Book of Revelation, New Testament, Christian biblical canons, Christian, Jesus, God, English language, West Germanic languages, Germanic languages, Indo-european languages, Language family, Language, Human, Precambrian, History of earth, Planet, Ancient greek, Greek language, Albania, Balkans, Europe, List of continents by population, Landmass, Land, Earth, Volume, SI derived unit, International system of units, Metric system, Tape measure, Keychain fob, Key (lock), Lock (device), Electronic, Electronics, Science, Mathematics, Quantity, Property (philosophy), Modern philosophy, Philosophy'.

2 (40) Mr. Popper's Penguins, children's book, Young-adult Fiction, Fiction, Narrative, Proto-indo-european language, Linguistic reconstruction, Proto language, Tree model, Historical linguistics, Language families, Language, Human, Taxonomy, Taxis, Innate, Mass, Physics, Physis, Theology, Augustine of Hippo, Bishop, Ordination, Consecration, Ritual, Symbol, Numeral system, Writing system, Symbolic system, Psychology, Science, Knowledge, Fact, Information, Sequence, Set (mathematics), Mathematics, Quantity, Property (philosophy), Modern philosophy, Philosophy

3 (38) Tuba, Brass instrument, Musical instrument, Sound, Mechanical wave, Transmission medium, Solid, State of matter, Phase (matter), Outline of physical science, Natural science, Science, Latin, Italic languages, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Human, Taxonomy, Ancient Greek, Greek language, Greeks, Nation, Sovereign state, State (polity), Social sciences, List of academic disciplines, Academia, Community, Interaction, Causality, Result, Sequence, Mathematics, Quantity, Property (philosophy), Modern philosophy, Philosophy.

4. (35) The Egg and the Smurfs, The Smurfs (comics), The Smurfs, Azure (color), Blue, Color, Visual perception, Visible spectrum, Electromagnetic spectrum, Electromagnetic radiation, Wave propagation, Wave, Space, Physical body, Physics, Physis, Theology, Deity, Axiom, Logic, Mathematical proof, Mathematics, Quantity, Quality (philosophy), Categories (Aristotle), Latin, Latium, Rome, Italian language, Romance languages, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Natural language, Philosophy of language, Philosophy.

5 (34) 1997 Tour de France, Tour De France, Bicycle racing, Bicycle, Human-powered transport, Transport, Cargo, Commerce, Peddler, British English, English Language, West Germanic Languages, Germanic Languages, Indo-European Languages, Language family, Language, Human, Precambrian, History of earth, Planet, Ancient Greek, Greek Language, Albania, Balkans, Europe, List of continents by population, Landmass, Land, Earth, Volume, Quantity, Property (philosophy), Modern philosophy, Philosophy.

6 (tie). (32) David Bowie, Arrangement, American Federation of Musicians, Trade union, British English, English language, West Germanic languages, Germanic languages, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Human, Taxonomy, Ancient Greek, Greek language, Greeks, Nation, Sovereign state, State (polity), Social sciences, List of academic disciplines, Academia, Community, Interaction, Effect, Result, Sequence, Mathematics, Quantity, Property (philosophy), Modern philosophy, Philosophy

6 (tie). (32): Optimum "L" filter, Butterworth filter, Electronic filter, Electronic circuit, Electronic component, Electronics, Electron, Elementary particle, Particle physics, Physics, Physis, Theology, Deity, Axiom, Logic, Mathematical proof, Mathematics, Knowledge, Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Publishing, Literature, Art, Human, Latin, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Symbol, Object, Object (philosophy), Philosophy.

7 (tie). (30) Orthodoxy in Moldova, Moldovan Orthodox Church, Autocephaly, Hierarchy, Ordinary, Western Christianity, Latin Church, Particular Church, Canon law (Catholic Church), Canon law, Ecclesiology, Christian theology, Gospel, Jesus, Christianity, Monotheism, Deity, Preternatural, Nature, Phenomenon, Observation, Knowledge, Fact, Information, Finite set, Mathematics, Quantity, Property (philosophy), Modern philosophy, Philosophy.

7 (tie). (30): Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario (series), Platform game, Video game genres, Video game, Game, Happiness, Emotion, Quality of life, Standard of living, Economic inequality, Economy, Economic system, Social organisation, Social position, Individual, Vernacular, First language, Sociolinguistics, Society, Group (sociology), Sociology, Latin, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Symbol, Object, Object (philosophy), Philosophy.

7 (tie). (30) westboro baptist church, baptists, christian denomination, christianity, ancient greek, greek language, greeks, nation, Sovereign state, state, social sciences, fields/academic diciplines, academia, community, interaction, causal/causality, events, observable, physics, natural science, science, knowledge, fact, information, sequence, mathmatics, quantity, property, modern philosophy, philosophy

8 (tie). (28) Massively multiplayer online game, Video game, Game, Happiness, Emotion, Quality of life, Standard of living, Economic inequality, Economy, Economic system, Social organisation, Social position, Individual, Vernacular, First language, Sociolinguistics, Society, Group (sociology), Sociology, Latin, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Symbol, Object, Object (philosophy), Philosophy.

8 (tie). (28) Upper Canada, niagara-on-the-lake, ontario, canada 2006 census, canada, north america, spanish language, romance languages, indo-european languages, language family, language, human, precambrian, history of earth, planet, ancient greek, greek language, albania, balkans, europe, list of continents by population, [landmass]], land, earth, volume, si derived unit, international system of units, metric system, tape measure, keychain fob, key (lock), lock (device), electronic, electronics, science, mathematics, quantity, property (philosophy), modern philosophy, philosophy.

8 (tie). (28) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Computer role-playing game, Video game, Game, Happiness, Emotion, Quality of life, Standard of living, Economic inequality, Economy, Economic system, Social organization, Social position, Individual, Vernacular, First language, Sociolinguistics, Society, Group (sociology), Sociology, Latin, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Symbol, Object, Object (philosophy), Philosophy.

9 (tie). (27) Lipa, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, University, Higher education, Academy, Plato, Classical Greece, Culture, Alfred L. Kroeber, United States, Federalism, Politics, Group decision making, Individual, Person, Human, Taxonomy, Science, Knowledge, Fact, Information, Finite set, Mathematics, Quantity, Property (philosophy), Modern philosophy, Philosophy.

9 (tie). (27) List of TVB series (2001), Television Broadcasts Limited, Asia Television Limited, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, Administrative divisions of China, China, Civilization, Culture, Alfred L. Kroeber, United States, Federalism, Politics, Group decision making, Individual, Person, Human, Taxonomy, Science, Knowledge, Fact, Information, Finite, Mathematics, Quantity, Property, Modern Philosophy, Philosophy.

10 (tie). (26) Chemin de fer Châtel-St-Denis-Bulle-Montbovon, Chemin de fer Châtel-St-Denis-Palézieux, Narrow gauge railway, Rail transport, Passenger, Vehicle, Mode of transport, Transport, Travel—see note below— Location (geography), Geography, Greek language, List of languages by first written accounts, Writing, Media (arts), Art, The arts, Culture, Latin, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Symbol, Object, Object (philosophy), Philosophy.

10 (tie). (26) Disney's Party, Game, Happiness, Emotion, Quality of life, Standard of living, Economic inequality, Economy, Economic system, Social organization, Social position, Individual, Vernacular, First language, Sociolinguistics, Society, Group (sociology), Sociology, Latin, Indo-European languages, Language family, Language, Symbol, Object, Object (philosophy), Philosophy.

10 (tie). (26) UAV, Aircraft, Vehicle, Bicycle, Human-powered transport, Transport, Goods, Commerce, Business, Organization, Social group, Social cohesion, Social policy, Quality of life, International development, Foreign aid, International relations, Sovereign state, State (polity), Social sciences, List of academic disciplines, Academia, Community, Interaction, Action theory (philosophy), Philosophy.

Strategy

If a particular article quickly reaches an article on a genera topic such as Mathematics, Religion, Science, Latin (through a link from a Latin definition) etc. Other articles which quickly reach the same general topic will have about the same number of total links, so you can save time by not following those chains all the way.

Any article about a person or a date will tend to get to Philosophy in about the same number of links because the first link in nearly everyone's biography is their birth date, which arrive shortly at Calendar and the first link in any article about a day will also which arrive shortly at Calendar.

Some closely related articles have wildly differing paths, so it is worthwhile to check variations.

You may wish to write a program to search for chains or to confirm chains found by others. If you do this, make sure the program follows the rules properly.

You can use the "random article" function as a first guess.

Variants

The 50th Wikipedia Weekly podcast discussion on this topic used a variant rule which excluded 'trivial' links at the beginning of articles such as the Latin definitions. Following this rule, fewer articles 'get to philosophy', but most still do, although by different routes. All the chains in the top ten list above use the original rules.

Variant rules may include:

• Ignore template links, links to things outside of English wikipedia, superscript links, italic indented text at the top that is separated from the main article, links leading directly to audio files, and links that lead to a redirect that redirects to the page you just came from (but the links that redirect to a previous page must still be followed, causing a loop and therefore not leading to Philosophy).

• Ignore links in parentheses towards the beginning of articles (which excludes things like Latin definitions).

• If you end up in a loop, click on the next available link instead of the first one.

See also

• Wikipedia:Link Surfing
• Wikipedia:Wiki Game
• Rainbow table

External links

• [1] xkcd cartoon featuring the observation (see tooltip)
• Web page displaying the chain for any given start article