In this episode, I explore Meditations 3.7, where Marcus Aurelius reminds us that nothing should take priority over Virtue. Many misunderstand Stoicism as a philosophy of detachment, resilience, and isolation, but in truth, it is profoundly prosocial. Being a Stoic means fulfilling our roles within the broader human community, not retreating from it. I chall ... 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
Dec 2018
Episode 53, Friedrich Nietzsche (Part I - The Life of Nietzsche)
<p>Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), a man who suffered greatly from bodily ills, considered himself somewhat of a physician. Yet, his remedies were not aimed towards physical conditions of the body, but rather the personal and societal ills of his time. Nietzsche, often poeticall ... Show More
1h 5m
Jan 2019
Episode 53, Friedrich Nietzsche (Part III - Beyond Good and Evil)
<p>Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), a man who suffered greatly from bodily ills, considered himself somewhat of a physician. Yet, his remedies were not aimed towards physical conditions of the body, but rather the personal and societal ills of his time. Nietzsche, often poeticall ... Show More
43m 41s
Jan 2019
Episode 53, Friedrich Nietzsche (Part IV - Further Analysis and Discussion)
<p>Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), a man who suffered greatly from bodily ills, considered himself somewhat of a physician. Yet, his remedies were not aimed towards physical conditions of the body, but rather the personal and societal ills of his time. Nietzsche, often poeticall ... Show More
54m 15s
Jun 2019
Episode 62, Epictetus: A Guide to Stoicism (Part III. Modern Stoicism)
<p class="">Imagine you are in an open field which stretches in every direction, further than your eyes can see. Since there is nothing of interest in your immediate surroundings, you set your sights on the horizon. You begin to walk with purpose; long strides eventually break in ... Show More
51m 6s
Jan 2019
Episode 53, Friedrich Nietzsche (Part II - Thus Spoke Zarathustra)
<p>Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), a man who suffered greatly from bodily ills, considered himself somewhat of a physician. Yet, his remedies were not aimed towards physical conditions of the body, but rather the personal and societal ills of his time. Nietzsche, often poeticall ... Show More
1h 2m
Jun 2019
Episode 62, Epictetus: A Guide to Stoicism (Part I. The Context and Life of Epictetus)
<p class="">Imagine you are in an open field which stretches in every direction, further than your eyes can see. Since there is nothing of interest in your immediate surroundings, you set your sights on the horizon. You begin to walk with purpose; long strides eventually break in ... Show More
54m 36s
Sep 30
The Power of Choosing to Be Single: Stoic Strategies Explained
Discover if being single aligns with your values through the wisdom of Stoic philosophers like Epictetus, Cleanthes, and Marcus Aurelius. Explore seven Stoic strategies to make value-based relationship decisions, freeing yourself from societal pressures. Learn to: Think clearly a ... Show More
26m 5s
Jul 2019
Episode 62, Epictetus: A Guide to Stoicism (Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion)
<p class="">Imagine you are in an open field which stretches in every direction, further than your eyes can see. Since there is nothing of interest in your immediate surroundings, you set your sights on the horizon. You begin to walk with purpose; long strides eventually break in ... Show More
58m 3s