Sage Profiles

Here are profiles of many figures that serve as the source of the website’s wisdom. These individuals span from antiquity to modern times and come from the ranks of world leaders, titans of industry and business, philosophers, commentators, and thought leaders. Fundamental Sage takes no position on the figures’ politics or personal life. Some figures may be considered controversial, but are nevertheless sources of thought-provoking ideas.

Profiles are grouped by the pursuit that made each figure worth studying; click below to read more about them, their core ideas, and find links to relevant books, quotations, and more. Please check back often as we continue to update the list along with the available material linked to within.

Political/Military Leaders | Investment Leaders | Business Leaders | Philosophers/Strategists | Economists | Other

Political/Military Leaders


Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

Conqueror of Gaul, Dictator of Rome

Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill

Iconic British Prime Minister, Statesman, Author, and Orator

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Founding Father of United States, Polymath, Scientist, Inventor, Writer

Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great

King of Prussia in the Mid/Late 1700’s, Renowned Military and Political Leader

Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew

Founding Prime Minister of Singapore

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

16th President of the United States

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte

Emperor of the French in the Early 1800’s, Military and Political Genius

Investment Leaders


Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett

Legendary Investor, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

Jesse Livermore

Jesse Livermore

Legendary Stock Operator, the Boy Plunger of Wall Street

Edwin Lefèvre

Edwin Lefèvre

Author of Reminiscences of a Stock Operator

Howard Marks

Howard Marks

Co-Founder of Oaktree, The Memo Writer

Charlie Munger

Charlie Munger

Legendary Investor, Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway

Mohnish Pabrai

Mohnish Pabrai

Renowned Investor, Businessman, Author, and Philanthropist

Ed Thorp

Ed Thorp

Creator of Card Counting, Quantitative Investor

Business Leaders


Peter Beck

Peter Beck

Founder and CEO of Rocket Lab

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos

Visionary Entrepreneur, Business Pioneer, and Founder of Amazon

Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie

American Industrialist, Businessman, and Philanthropist of the Late 19th Century

Henry Ford

Henry Ford

American Industrialist, Entrepreneur, and Business Mogul, Early 20th Century

Alex Karp

Alex Karp

Co-founder and CEO of Palantir

Charles Koch

Charles Koch

Chairman of Koch Industries, Author of Good Profit

Palmer Luckey

Palmer Luckey

Founder of Oculus, CEO of Anduril

Elon Musk

Elon Musk

Visionary Technology Entrepreneur, Inventor, Engineer, and all around Industry Builder

J.P. Morgan

J.P. Morgan

Financier of the American Century

John D. Rockefeller

John D. Rockefeller

American Industrialist, Business Tycoon, and Philanthropist of the Late 19th Century

Carlos Slim

Carlos Slim

Mexican Business Mogul, Investor, and Philanthropist

Peter Thiel

Peter Thiel

Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, Co-Founder of Paypal, Palantir, and Founders Fund

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Steamship and Railroad Tycoon

Sam Walton

Sam Walton

American Entrepreneur, Business Icon, and Founder of Walmart

Sam Zell

Sam Zell

Real Estate Billionaire, the “Grave Dancer”

Philosophers/Strategists


Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius

Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher

Carl von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz

Prussian General, Military and Political Theorist and Strategist, Early 19th Century

Epictetus

Epictetus

Roman Stoic Teacher and Former Slave

Robert Greene

Robert Greene

Author of The 48 Laws of Power

Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday

Author of The Obstacle Is the Way

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee

Renowned Martial Arts Master, Movie Star, and Modern Day Philosopher

Niccolò Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli

Renaissance Italian Author, Diplomat, Philosopher, and Historian

Naval Ravikant

Naval Ravikant

Renowned Technology Entrepreneur, Investor, Venture Capitalist, and Thought Leader

Seneca

Seneca

Roman Stoic Philosopher and Advisor to Nero

Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu

Author of The Art of War, Ancient Chinese General

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Former Options Trader, Author of The Black Swan and Antifragile

Economists


Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman

Nobel Prize Economist, Author of Capitalism and Freedom

Ludwig von Mises

Ludwig von Mises

Renowned Austrian Economist, Scholar, and Author

Adam Smith

Adam Smith

Author of The Wealth of Nations

Thomas Sowell

Thomas Sowell

Renowned American Economist, Scholar, Author, and Thought Leader

Other


Scott Adams

Scott Adams

Renowned American Author, Cartoonist, and Thought Leader

Annie Duke

Annie Duke

Former Poker Champion, Author of Thinking in Bets

Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins

Renowned Motivational Speaker, Personal Development Guru, Author, and Investor