International Society for Philosophical Enquiry

Welcome to the International Society
for Philosophical Enquiry
(The Thousand®)

The International Society for Philosophical Enquiry (ISPE) is a high-IQ society open to people who score at or above the 99.9th percentile on a standardized psychometric test of intelligence. Often referred to by the abbreviation "ISPE," our society was originally founded as The Thousand* in 1974 by Christopher Harding of Australia. We are a non-profit organization, and we refer to our members as "Thousanders" because only one out of a thousand people will qualify for membership in ISPE, statistically speaking. We are the third-oldest high-IQ society in the world, with Mensa being the oldest (98th percentile) and Intertel being the second-oldest (99th percentile). ISPE is, therefore, the oldest high-IQ society in the world with an entrance requirement set at the 99.9th percentile. We accept the results of many tests for admission. See the "Tests & Test Scores" page located in the "Join ISPE" tab for a list of the specific tests and associated scores that we accept.

ISPE is truly a global organization, as our members live in many different countries around the world and represent a variety of ideologies, races, religions, and creeds.  We embrace freedom of thought and tolerance of worship.

Our members come from all walks of life and have a wide variety of interests and professions. Our only common denominator is our giftedness. Those who join us often find a renewed sense of purpose in addition to forming lasting friendships with other members. We try hard to use the gifts we were given to help humankind and to seek self-enlightenment in the process. Perhaps the rotating slideshow just above best illustrates who we are and who we aspire to be. To learn more about us, please visit the "About" tab.

If you are "one in a thousand" and we have described you or what you have been looking for, come join us. We welcome you.

ISPE is a nonprofit organization under U.S. I.R.C. 501(c)(3).
All images used herein are with permission of the copyright owner, under creative commons license, or in the public domain.
© ISPE 2023.  All rights reserved.

*The Thousand is a registered trademark of the International Society for Philosophical Enquiry.