This week I reflect on Meditations 4.6 and consider whether Marcus is really writing about death—or if he's reminding himself of the silliness of resisting what naturally unfolds. I explore the Stoic view of fate through the lens of the causal chain and point out where I think Stoicism allows some space for personal agency and emotional response. We also add ... 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
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
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
Jun 2019
Episode 62, Epictetus: A Guide to Stoicism (Part II. The Discourses and The Enchiridion)
<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
1h 4m
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
Jul 2019
Episode 62, Epictetus: A Guide to Stoicism (Part IV. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
<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
37m 35s
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
Nov 2022
Episode 113, Epicurus and the Art of Happiness (Part I - The Path to Tranquility)
<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 10m
Dec 2022
Episode 113, Epicurus and the Art of Happiness (Part III - Further Analysis and Discussion)
<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
52 m