The Philosopher was a character sketched, but never built, for the proposed puppet series The Zoocus. Jim Henson's notes described him as "the philosopher type fellow (no name yet)... acts as oracle to whom others ask questions... quotes quotes, usually wrong or inappropriate, doesn't know anything practical."

Elements of the philosopher's role as the series' oracle were folded into The Mighty Favog from Saturday Night Live, while the general personality and beard in some ways predated Brewster from The Muppet Show.