Philosopher's Way, San Francisco
Philosopher's Way, San Francisco is a nearly 3-mile loop around the perimeter of John McLaren Park created by artists Peter Richards and Susan Schwartzenberg.
Selected through a competitive process in 2008, Richards and Schwartzenberg were inspired by the philosopher’s walks found in other major cities such as Heidelberg, Toronto and Kyoto. According to the artists, “these are places where poets, philosophers and intellectuals strolled through in conversation, considering the ideas of their times.” The trails and musing stations were designed with the intention of influencing walkers to notice and think about the local landscape and their place within it. Some of the stations provide commentary, while others draw attention to the park’s physical attributes. For example, one station features a bench positioned to look out over a meadow to the ocean, and another includes a stone bowl that catches runoff from the surrounding hills.