Part III of the Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers series — [Based on How to Be a Leader: An Ancient Guide to Wise Leadership, by Plutarch, translated by Jeffrey Beneker. Full book series here.] Most human societies are hierarchically structured. At least, all non-nomadic, agriculture based, literate societies characterized by division of labor. If there is a hierarchy, then we need…

Part II of the Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers series — What do you know? Not much, and you? That was the tagline of a Public Radio International comedy quiz show that ran for three decades hosted by Michael Feldman (and which is now a podcast, of course). But it could just as well describe the skeptical philosophy known as Pyrrhonism. …

Part I of the Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers series — [Based on How to Be Free: An Ancient Guide to the Stoic Life, by Epictetus, translated by Anthony Long.] Epictetus was a late first century and early second century slave-turned-teacher and Stoic philosopher. He literally changed my life. His Discourses were the first book from original sources that I read…

A few thoughts on life, uncertainty, death, and happiness — Ken Frazier has passed away a few days ago. His death affected me more than I would have anticipated. We were not close friends, largely because we have lived our lives thousands of kilometers apart and had only a few opportunities to spend time together at conferences. But I have…

An ancient debate on the nature of the world is still with us, and for good reasons — Last weekend I taught an intensive online seminar — eight hours total — on Socrates as seen by Xenophon. We read and discussed the Memorabilia, which presents a lively portrait of the sage from Athens, with Socrates freely giving advice to wannabe politicians as well as courtesans. …

Pierre Hadot’s ideas on ancient practical philosophy are foundational to the modern conception of the art of living — Whether we realize it or not, we all have a philosophy of life. Often it consists in whatever religious creed and practices one has been raised with. At other times it is the result of a conscious choice. Even those who don’t think about philosophy or religion still have a…

The last chapter of Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism raises a disturbing possibility — “Totalitarianism differs essentially from other forms of political oppression known to us such as despotism, tyranny, and dictatorship.” (H. Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, ch. 13) With a small group of friends I run an informal book club that uses the Signal chat platform. For the past several months we’ve…

An excerpt from my new book: The Quest for Character — What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders — [If you like this excerpt, please consider getting and reviewing The Quest for Character.] The year is 430 BCE. The place, Athens. The time, shortly after the beginning of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, which — twenty-six years later — will end in Athens’s defeat and a general…

If you have a chance, go to Carnuntum, near Vienna, and visit the site where the emperor-philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote some of his famous Meditations — Some people go to Mecca. Others to see the Pope in St. Peter’s Square. I go to sites that are connected to ancient Greco-Roman history, especially to philosophers, and more often than not in particular to Stoicism. I call these episodes my “secular pilgrimages,” as they serve a function similar…