In this episode, I discuss Meditation 17 from Book 2 of Meditations, where Marcus Aurelius reflects on the transient and uncertain nature of life. Marcus reminds us that our lives are brief and unpredictable, with the physical and spiritual aspects of existence constantly in flux. In the face of this, Marcus asserts that only Philosophy can serve as our guid ... Show More
Nov 21
Growing Into Roles We're Not Good At Yet
In this episode I talk about what it’s like to take on a large number of new roles in a very short period of time, and how doing so can leave you feeling detached from yourself unless you approach those roles with clear thinking, humility, and attention. Over the last few years I ... Show More
16m 30s
Nov 14
Living Well on a Hot Planet [The COP30]
In this episode I take a current headline—the opening of COP30 in Belém, Brazil—and sit with it like a philosopher, not a pundit. Instead of debating policy language or political victories, I look at what a global event like this means for people trying to live excellently right ... Show More
25m 35s
Nov 5
Gender Roles and the Rational Soul
In this episode I take on a listener question about gender roles and Stoicism — whether they exist, how the Stoics would have defined them, and what any of it means for modern relationships. We look closely at Musonius Rufus, the so-called “fourth head” of the Stoic school, who a ... Show More
22m 28s
Sep 8
Hegel on Stoicism (Part One)
Discussing the section on Stoicism in Hegel's "Phenomenology of Spirit," which is under "Freedom of Self-Consciousness," "Stoicism, Scepticism, and the Unhappy Consciousness." This comes right after his famous lordship and bondage chapter, and explains how in reaction to being de ... Show More
58m 13s
Feb 2025
Embracing life's dance: A conversation on chaos, calm, and the human condition with Shiv Sengupta
'Nobody has a handle on this thing called life. Life is a dance you learn to engage with on a day to day basis'. Shiv Sengupta is an author and teacher who I discovered over on Substack. He has a really fascinating perspective on life, spirituality, and the human experience. As a ... Show More
1h 22m
Nov 13
Essential Teachings Special:Finding Peace; Accepting What Is
Eckhart says the world is not here to make us happy, it’s here to make us conscious. If we are looking for fulfillment in a particular relationship, job or life circumstances, we may find disappointment instead. Eckhart says we find peace when we let go of the demand that people ... Show More
39m 14s
Sep 16
The struggle for the good life | Massimo Pigliucci on ancient philosophy for the modern era
We all want to live the good life. But how many of us can claim to be truly content? Join philosopher and evolutionary biologist Massimo Pigliucci as he argues that pleasure, character, and a healthy dose of doubt, form the basis of the good life, and that purpose in life is cruc ... Show More
29m 29s
Apr 2025
#1321 - Suffering Will Not Seek
“We don’t have absolute choice to choose our situations, but we have been given the freedom to choose our experience.” –Sadhguru
For many, life seems to be a pretty rotten deal. In this talk, Sadhguru states that human beings have the unique gift of being able to suffer even a g ... Show More
50m 44s
Dec 2022
Episode 113, Epicurus and the Art of Happiness (Part II - Metaphysics, God, and Death)
<p class="">You're going to a party, but you don't care if the other guests will like your dress. You pull onto your drive; you don't consider what your neighbours will think of your car. You sell books that you've written, share photographs that you've taken, and post your thoug ... Show More
1h 1m
Mar 2025
#81 Existence, Life, Society, and Creativity
We often take the wonders of existence for granted—the way we move, think, and create. In this episode, I explore the invisible structures shaping our lives, the interconnectedness of knowledge, and the beauty of human expression across cultures and disciplines. From philosophy t ... Show More
22m 1s