Sep 15, 2020
Episode 4 of
Happy Vs Flourishing features Massimo Pigliucci
the K. D. Irani Professor of philosophy at the City College of New
York. The author or editor of thirteen books, many of which provide
excellent tips on how to have a richer more fulfilling life and
that is an area we explore in this episode.
Massimo has
been published in the New York
Times, the Wall Street
Journal, Philosophy Now, and
the Philosophers' Magazine, among others.
In this
episode amongst the things discussed are:
- How can
philosophy help your life?
- What is
Stoicism and why is it misunderstood?
- Nelson
Mandela
- Viktor
Frankl
- How applying
some of Massimo's suggestions transformed the life of one of his
coaching clients
- The new book:
A Field Guide to a Happy Life
- What is the
difference between Happiness and Flourishing?
He has just
released a new book titled:
"This short
book is a 'field guide, ' written with busy non-specialists in
mind. By dipping into its pages, readers can simultaneously develop
an understanding of Stoicism and gain important insights into how
best to live. Those who are already familiar with Epictetus will
appreciate Pigliucci's bold 'update' of Stoicism in the book's
closing pages."--William B. Irvine, author of The
Stoic Challenge
"A shrewd take on Stoic philosophy that's one part inspiration and
one part manual for cultivating resilience in daily life.
Pigliucci's prudent advice will have broad appeal among
philosophically inclined readers of
self-help."--Publishers Weekly
"A wonderfully fun introduction to Stoic philosophy, bursting with
practical wisdom and engaging stories. I particularly admire how
Pigliucci revisits and reinterprets
Epictetus's Enchiridion while showing why we
need a 'Stoicism 2.0' for twenty-first century happiness, and
clearly illustrating how his version differs from the original.
It's an excellent book, written in Pigliucci's splendidly lucid and
accessible style."
--Skye C. Cleary, author of Existentialism and
Romantic Love
"An engaging introduction to the Stoic life through an updated
version of Epictetus's Handbook. An unusual and
helpful feature is an appendix in which Pigliucci highlights his
modifications of the original Stoic text to take account of modern
thinking."--Christopher Gill, author of Greek
Thought
"Pigliucci reimagines
Epictetus's Handbook (a.k.a.
the Enchiridion) and updates it for the twenty-first
century. The result is a work more timely than ever, for it warns
us of the dangers of superstition while it reminds us that reason
and virtue are essential to happiness. Pigliucci speaks directly to
us as readers and justifies his updates along the way. He thereby
invites us to treat Epictetus and this very book as a reasonable
guide rather than as an oracle from on high."--Brian E.
Johnson, Fordham University
"Pigliucci's A Field Guide to a Happy
Life provides a user-friendly manual for applying
Stoicism to daily life in the twenty-first century. Stoicism 2.0
tweaks the philosophy in order to adapt it to the moral intuitions
shared by most modern readers. It therefore provides a good place
to start your journey when exploring Stoic
practices."--Donald Robertson, author of How to
Think Like a Roman Emperor
"This is a bold, contemporary updating of Stoicism for the present
day. Taking the ancient Stoic Epictetus as his inspiration,
Pigliucci has rewritten Epictetus's Handbook in
order to update it, make it more relevant to a modern audience, but
also to ensure that the core Stoic ideas shine through. The result
is what Pigliucci calls Stoicism 2.0. This is a manual for living
for those who approach the ancient Stoics as guides, not
masters."--John Sellars, author
of Stoicism
Other books:
How to be a Stoic
A Handbook for New Stoics
How to Live a Good Life: A Guide to Choosing Your
Personal Philosophy
Links: