◂ ALL MATCHUPS
▸ HEAD-TO-HEAD

D.S. WILSON VS FRANS DE WAAL

D.S. Wilson
b. 1949
Patient mapper of how things fit.
Frans de Waal
1948–2024
Patient mapper of how things fit.

▸ WHERE THEY SHARPLY DISAGREED

The three dimensions on which D.S. Wilson and Frans de Waal are farthest apart on Mull's 0–10 scale.

  • Tragic VisionΔ 0 / 10
    D.S. Wilson: 4/10
    Frans de Waal: 4/10

    somewhat (0/10): Frans de Waal sees tragedy and limit as central; D.S. Wilson doesn't make that the starting point.

  • Vital AffirmationΔ 0 / 10
    D.S. Wilson: 6/10
    Frans de Waal: 6/10

    somewhat (0/10): Frans de Waal affirms life as it is more readily; D.S. Wilson qualifies that affirmation.

  • Will to PowerΔ 0 / 10
    D.S. Wilson: 5/10
    Frans de Waal: 5/10

    somewhat (0/10): Frans de Waal emphasises shaping and self-overcoming; D.S. Wilson weighs acceptance or context more.

▸ WHERE THEY OVERLAPPED

Where the gap is smallest — both with meaningful presence on the dimension (not "neither cared").

  • Self as Illusiongap 0 / 10
    D.S. Wilson: 5/10
    Frans de Waal: 5/10

    Both register moderate self as illusion.

  • Universalist Impulsegap 0 / 10
    D.S. Wilson: 5/10
    Frans de Waal: 5/10

    Both register moderate universalist impulse.

  • Embodied Sensibilitygap 0 / 10
    D.S. Wilson: 6/10
    Frans de Waal: 6/10

    Both register moderate embodied sensibility.

▸ ALL 16 DIMENSIONS

The full vector comparison. Bars show their 0–10 scores side-by-side.

  • Ascetic TendencyΔ 0
  • Communal EmbeddednessΔ 0
  • Embodied SensibilityΔ 0
  • Mystical ReceptivityΔ 0
  • Practical OrientationΔ 0
  • Reverence for TraditionΔ 0
  • Self as IllusionΔ 0
  • Skeptical ReflexΔ 0
  • Sovereign SelfΔ 0
  • Theoretical DriveΔ 0
  • Trust in ExperienceΔ 0
  • Trust in ReasonΔ 0
  • Tragic VisionΔ 0
  • Universalist ImpulseΔ 0
  • Vital AffirmationΔ 0
  • Will to PowerΔ 0
◀ D.S. WILSONFRANS DE WAAL ▶
▶ What to do next

Where do you sit between D.S. Wilson and Frans de Waal?

  1. 01 · QUIZ
    The Inheritor
    Take the quiz — see which of them you sit closer to on the map.
    CONTINUE ▶
  2. 02 · PROFILE
    Ruth Millikan
    A third thinker who sits between them — useful for triangulating.
    CONTINUE ▶
  3. 03 · ARENA
    Argue D.S. Wilson
    Face D.S. Wilson in a 5-minute single-turn debate, judged on rigor.
    CONTINUE ▶