Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
Join Rob Colter and Massimo Pigliucci for a series of engaging conversations, sometimes with special guests, on what it means to practice philosophy as a way of life. New episodes out on the second Friday of every month. Full index at https://philosophyasawayoflife.blog/philosophy-for-life-podcast/Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Practical philosophy as daily practice • Stoicism: Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca • virtue ethics, emotions, resilience • relationships: love, marriage, family • politics, leadership, civic duty • comparisons: Epicureanism, Aristotelianism, Confucianism, Buddhism, existential authenticity • modern applications and interpretation/translating classicsThis podcast explores what it means to practice philosophy as a lived discipline rather than only an academic subject. Through conversations between the hosts and frequent interviews with philosophers, classicists, translators, therapists, and authors, it focuses especially on Stoicism as a practical approach to everyday life, while regularly comparing it with other traditions such as Epicureanism, Aristotelianism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and existentialism.
Across the discussions, recurring themes include character and virtue ethics, emotional life and the management of anger, resilience in adversity, and the role of judgment in responding to circumstances. The show often treats philosophy as a set of habits or “spiritual exercises,” asking what training, reflection, and practice look like in modern contexts. It also examines how philosophical ideas apply to relationships and social life, including love, marriage, family, leadership, bullying, and work with incarcerated people.
A significant strand of the podcast engages with ancient sources and their interpretation: major Stoic figures such as Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Seneca, and Musonius Rufus appear frequently, alongside broader Greco-Roman ethical and political thought (including Cicero and Socrates). Listeners also hear about the challenges of translating classical texts and the implications of presenting philosophy through different media, including graphic novels and online platforms.
The podcast further considers how a philosophy of life intersects with politics, environmental responsibility, and questions about religion, faith, freedom, and meaning, while also addressing misconceptions about Stoicism and its relevance beyond times of crisis.
