Philosophy

Lorraine Besser, philosophy professor and author of “The Art of the Interesting,” explores what it means to cultivate and live a good life.

from Life Examined

Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, unlocks some of the secrets discovered via 80 years of research on happiness.

from Life Examined

Welcome to the Midweek Reset from Life Examined, where host Jonathan Bastian takes a small pause for a new perspective.

Midweek Reset: Life: less itinerary - more flow

Welcome to the Midweek Reset from Life Examined, where host Jonathan Bastian takes a small pause for a new perspective.

from Life Examined

Devin Sean Moss is a chaplain, writer, and podcaster who explores the culture and mystery of death.

Can contemplating death inform a better life

Devin Sean Moss is a chaplain, writer, and podcaster who explores the culture and mystery of death.

from Life Examined

This week, Iza Kavedžija, a cultural anthropologist who lived in the Kansai region of Japan, while researching the older members of Japanese society, talks about how Japanese culture…

Midweek Reset: Ikigai

This week, Iza Kavedžija, a cultural anthropologist who lived in the Kansai region of Japan, while researching the older members of Japanese society, talks about how Japanese culture…

from Life Examined

Poet and writer Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer shares her latest collection of poems, All the Honey, and delves into the complex nature of grief and love following her son's death.

Wild Sorrow: Poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer on losing her son and finding her way forward

Poet and writer Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer shares her latest collection of poems, All the Honey, and delves into the complex nature of grief and love following her son's death.

from Life Examined

Traveler and author Rolf Potts shares his philosophy on meaningful travel and how embracing the unexpected can change us for the better.

The art of travel: A vagabond’s joys, essence, and philosophy

Traveler and author Rolf Potts shares his philosophy on meaningful travel and how embracing the unexpected can change us for the better.

from Life Examined

Writer and lecturer Susan Cain explores the evolutionary reasons behind sadness in our lives and how accepting sorrow can lead to greater emotional resilience and creativity.

Bittersweet: Susan Cain on the joy of sweet sorrow

Writer and lecturer Susan Cain explores the evolutionary reasons behind sadness in our lives and how accepting sorrow can lead to greater emotional resilience and creativity.

from Life Examined

This week, Ryan Holiday , speaker and author of “ Discipline is Destiny: The Power of Self Control ” shares some advice on the stoic virtue of self discipline.

Midweek Reset: On Discipline

This week, Ryan Holiday , speaker and author of “ Discipline is Destiny: The Power of Self Control ” shares some advice on the stoic virtue of self discipline.

from Life Examined

This week, Kieran Setyia, professor of philosophy at MIT and author of “ Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way ” reflects on failure and suggests we push back on how we…

Midweek Reset: Kieran Setiya on failure + process

This week, Kieran Setyia, professor of philosophy at MIT and author of “ Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way ” reflects on failure and suggests we push back on how we…

from Life Examined

This week, Brad Stulberg writer and author of “The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success that Feeds – Not Crushes – Your Soul” on behavioral action and why the…

Midweek Reset: Mood follows action

This week, Brad Stulberg writer and author of “The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success that Feeds – Not Crushes – Your Soul” on behavioral action and why the…

from Life Examined

Director Lulu Wang reflects on the power of permaculture and gardening as a way of shifting perspective.

Lulu Wang on permaculture and gardening

Director Lulu Wang reflects on the power of permaculture and gardening as a way of shifting perspective.

from The Treatment

Paul Bloom, psychologist and author of “Psyche: The Story of the Human Mind” and “The Sweet Spot,” reflects on the relevance and controversy surrounding Sigmund Freud.

Freud: What he said, why he matters

Paul Bloom, psychologist and author of “Psyche: The Story of the Human Mind” and “The Sweet Spot,” reflects on the relevance and controversy surrounding Sigmund Freud.

from Life Examined

This week, Denis McManus, professor of philosophy at the University of Southampton reflects on authenticity and the allure of being true to ourselves and suggests that while…

Midweek Reset: Authenticity trap

This week, Denis McManus, professor of philosophy at the University of Southampton reflects on authenticity and the allure of being true to ourselves and suggests that while…

from Life Examined

Poet and essayist Ross Gay shares stories of joy and theorizes that the experience of joy might possibly be the best tool for uniting and depolarizing us as a people.

Inciting joy: Poet Ross Gay on gardening, grief, and basketball

Poet and essayist Ross Gay shares stories of joy and theorizes that the experience of joy might possibly be the best tool for uniting and depolarizing us as a people.

from Life Examined

Humanist Chaplain Devin Moss describes his year-long journey providing spiritual care for an atheist death row inmate, leading up to and during his execution carried out by the State…

Facing death without God: Spiritual care in the final hours of a death row inmate

Humanist Chaplain Devin Moss describes his year-long journey providing spiritual care for an atheist death row inmate, leading up to and during his execution carried out by the State…

from Life Examined

This week, Iza Kavedžija, a cultural anthropologist who lived in the Kansai region of Japan, while researching the older members of Japanese society, talks about how Japanese culture…

Midweek Reset: Ikigai

This week, Iza Kavedžija, a cultural anthropologist who lived in the Kansai region of Japan, while researching the older members of Japanese society, talks about how Japanese culture…

from Life Examined

Biologist and neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky says humans are absent of free will.

Robert Sapolsky on life without free will

Biologist and neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky says humans are absent of free will.

from Life Examined

This week, Oliver Burkeman, journalist and author of Four Thousand Weeks; Time Management for Mortals explores our relationship with time and asks how our common belief that our…

Midweek Reset: The Future Happiness Trap

This week, Oliver Burkeman, journalist and author of Four Thousand Weeks; Time Management for Mortals explores our relationship with time and asks how our common belief that our…

from Life Examined

Jonathan Bastian talks with psychologist Paul Bloom about the role that hardship and pain play in living a good life.

Can pain and suffering sweeten our lives?

Jonathan Bastian talks with psychologist Paul Bloom about the role that hardship and pain play in living a good life.

from Life Examined