What does it mean to be stoic? Many of us assume it means you have a stiff upper lip, or that you suppress your emotions. That's what Massimo Pigliucci thought — until he started to peruse a book called Meditations. It was written nearly two thousand years ago by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. But Massimo, now a philosopher, says Meditations, and Stoic p ... Show More
May 11
The Cowboy Philosopher
In 2009, an old man died in a California nursing home. His obituary included not just his given name, but a long list of the pseudonyms he’d been known to use. In this classic 2019 episode, we trace the life of Riley Shepard, a hillbilly musician, writer, small-time con man and, ... Show More
1h 29m
Apr 27
Designing a Life that Matters
We tell ourselves that meaning comes from impact, passion, or finding the “one right path.” But these beliefs can leave us feeling stuck — even when our lives look perfectly fine on paper. Behavioral scientist Dave Evans describes a new approach, borrowed from design thinking, to ... Show More
51m 6s
May 2025
#417 — Philosophy for Life
<p dir="ltr">Sam Harris speaks with Donald Robertson about Stoicism and the good life. They discuss the relationship between wisdom and virtue, ancient versions of psychotherapy, parallels between Stoicism and Buddhism, practical vs. analytical styles of philosophy, CBT's origins ... Show More
22m 30s
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
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
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
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
<p dir="ltr">How to boost your psychological immune system, the stoic way.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.williambirvine.com/">William "Bill" Irvine</a> is the emeritus professor of philosophy at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He is the ... Show More
