Stoic Meditations

Massimo Pigliucci

Occasional reflections on the wisdom of Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers with Prof. Massimo Pigliucci. Complete index by author and source at https://massimopigliucci.org/stoic-podcast/. (cover art by Marek Škrabák; original music by Ian Jolin-Rasmussen).

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

1,094 episodes
Updated Aug 23, 2022

Episodes1094

Newest first

Apr 22, 2020 · 2 min
594. The problem with luxury
While wealth is a preferred indifferent, luxury is more problematic, from a Stoic perspective.
Apr 21, 2020 · 2 min
593. The importance of experience and self-control
Musonius Rufus says that the combination of experience and self-control allow us to do what is right by others and ourselves.
Apr 20, 2020 · 2 min
592. Think about the long term consequences of your actions
Musonius Rufus contrasts the short duration of a shameful pleasure with the lingering regret that will follow.
Apr 17, 2020 · 2 min
591. The philosophy school is like the doctor's office
The philosopher’s school is a doctor’s office. You must leave not pleased, but pained, because you do not come in healthy.
Apr 16, 2020 · 2 min
590. You made the only mistake you could possibly make
A rare glimpse into the life of young Epictetus, when he gets criticized by his teacher, Musonius Rufus.
Apr 15, 2020 · 2 min
589. What we should concern ourselves with
Musonius Rufus clearly states how to implement the dichotomy of control in our lives.
Apr 14, 2020 · 2 min
588. How to save $1000 by challenging impressions.
Musonius Rufus reminds us that our most precious faculty is our ability to challenge impressions
Apr 13, 2020 · 3 min
587. Patterning ourselves after Zeus
Musonius Rufus is confronted by a critic about what it means to live according to Zeus, or Nature.
Apr 10, 2020 · 2 min
586. Don't try to reason with those who can't hear
Words of advice and warning administered when a person’s emotions are at their height and boiling over, accomplish little or nothing.
Apr 9, 2020 · 2 min
585. Take care of your mind just like you do of your body
In order to protect ourselves we must live like doctors and be continually treating ourselves with reason.
Apr 8, 2020 · 2 min
584. Practice what you preach
Don’t expect to tell others what they should do when they know that you do what you shouldn’t.
Apr 7, 2020 · 2 min
583. On being useful to others
It is not proper for one to die who is helpful to many while he is alive, unless by dying he is helpful to more.
Apr 6, 2020 · 2 min
582. Make your last choice while you still can
Choose to die well while you can; wait too long, and it might become impossible to do so.
Apr 3, 2020 · 2 min
581. Shameful speech undermines your character
If we speak badly, we think badly, and we are more likely to act badly.
Apr 2, 2020 · 2 min
580. Pain vs pleasure
Musonius Rufus reminds us to be on guard concerning the effects that both pain and pleasure may have on our character.
Apr 1, 2020 · 2 min
579. The importance of self-control
Self-control, often referred to as the fourth cardinal virtue of temperance, is crucial to Stoicism and other philosophies of life.
Mar 31, 2020 · 2 min
578. Criticizing tyrants is not enough
Musonius Rufus reminds us that we might have the same bad inclinations as other people, so we should start working on ourselves first.
Mar 30, 2020 · 2 min
577. Live in the here and now
Musonius Rufus reminds us that we can, and should, only live in the present.
Mar 27, 2020 · 2 min
576. The interplay between nature and wisdom
Cicero deploys a beautiful metaphor to encapsulate the Stoic theory of moral developmental psychology.
Mar 26, 2020 · 2 min
575. What wisdom is for
Wisdom is what allows us to use everything well. Things like money or education have no intrinsic value, they become valuable if we use them correctly.