The Philosopher's Compass

The True Meaning of Skepticism: Lessons from Cicero with Massimo Pigliucci

Welcome to The Philosopher's Compass podcast. I'm your host, Meredith Alexander Kunz, author of The Stoic Mom blog / Substack (est. 2016) and co-author of the book Beyond Stoicism and Live Like a Philosopher. What is the true meaning of skepticism? What can we learn from its origins in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy? And how can this way of thinking help us today? Join me as I talk with Massimo Pigliucci, my co-author and now the author of the new book How to be a (Happy) Skeptic: The Power of Doubt in a Meaningful Life. In our conversation, Massimo explores the Roman political leader and writer Cicero's life and philosophy of skepticism as relentless inquiry. It may sound counter-intuitive, but in fact, there is relief in letting go of the need for absolute certainty. We touched on Cicero's role in Stoicism as well as ancient academic skepticism. And Massimo underlines the importance of doubt and open-mindedness in an era that really needs it. This is an episode for the ages - from ancient Rome to today.

Parenting, Stoicism, and the Long Game with Bob Kunz

Welcome to The Philosopher's Compass podcast. I'm your host, Meredith Alexander Kunz, author of The Stoic Mom blog and co-author of the book Beyond Stoicism and Live Like a Philosopher. What does it actually look like to raise kids with philosophical values — not just as a theory, but as a daily practice? In this episode, I talk with someone who has been thinking about this alongside me for 25 years: my husband, Bob Kunz. Our conversation is the culmination of a quarter century of long talks about life, meaning, and what it takes to raise kids with real character. This episode is personal! Bob is a chief architect by profession and a deep thinker by inclination. He plays poker occasionally with colleagues and local friends — and he brings that same probabilistic thinking to parenting, describing himself as “the poker dad.” One of his key ideas: Teach your kids to read the odds, make the best call with what they have, and know how to get back up after a bad hand. We talk about the Stoic reserve clause and why it changes how you approach parenting goals. We discuss risk. We get into what emotionally engaged fatherhood actually looks like, and why failure isn’t something to protect your kids from — it’s something to teach them to navigate. And we explore how stories, from Star Wars to Marcus Aurelius, shape the moral imagination of a child. Hope you enjoy this episode!

When success isn't enough: Ken Davenport on Stoicism and finding meaning | The Philosopher's Compass

Welcome to The Philosopher's Compass Podcast, with your host, Meredith Alexander Kunz, author of Beyond Stoicism and Live Like a Philosopher, and creator of The Stoic Mom blog and Substack. Ken Davenport had the career, the company, the title — and a serious happiness problem. In his early 40s, he walked away from it all. What followed was an unexpected path: working with military veterans navigating one of life's hardest transitions, co-founding a social impact nonprofit, and discovering that Stoic philosophy offered something no business success ever had — a framework for figuring out what actually matters. In this conversation, Ken and I talk about how Stoicism works in real life (not just in theory). We focused a lot on parenting, being a Stoic mom or dad, and what it means to build resilience when circumstances are hard. Ken also shared what he learned writing three books on the subject — including his latest, The Virtue Ethos Handbook.

The Philosopher's Compass - William Spears

I'm your host, Meredith Alexander Kunz, author of The Stoic Mom Substack and co-author of Beyond Stoicism and Live Like a Philosopher. In this episode of The Philosopher's Compass podcast, I spoke with Commander William C. Spears, a submarine warfare officer and author of the book Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy (https://a.co/d/07Ikuuo7). We explored the intersection of Stoicism and military life, the influence of James Stockdale, and how Stoicism can be applied in daily life, parenting, and leadership. The conversation takes a look at why Stoicism is popular in the military, and the importance of community and human connection. William shared insights on how Stoicism has shaped his life and leadership style, including his parenting. In addition to his book, you can find William's recent talk for Conversations with Modern Stoicism, "The Stoic Knife," here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHV8EKV3wLA Thanks for listening! Check out The Stoic Mom Substack: https://thestoicmom.substack.com/My book: Beyond Stoicism https://theexperimentpublishing.com/catalogs/winter-2025/beyond-stoicism/

The Philosopher's Compass - Eden Blazejak

I’m your host, Meredith Alexander Kunz, and in this episode of the Philosophers Compass podcast, I spoke with Eden Blazejak, a postdoctoral research fellow specializing in the political thought of Hellenistic philosophical schools, particularly Stoicism and Epicureanism. Eden shared his personal journey into Stoicism, highlighting how his initial interest was sparked by Seneca's writings, which resonated with his worldview. He discussed the practical applications of Stoicism in everyday life, emphasizing the importance of expectation setting and focusing on what is within our control. The conversation also dove into the differences between Stoicism and Epicureanism, exploring how both philosophies can be integrated into modern life for greater happiness and meaning. He has found particular meaning in the ancient Epicurean approach to life—not to be confused with modern “Epicureans.” Eden shared the relevance of both Stoic and Epicurean ancient philosophies in today's world, particularly in addressing the search for meaning. Our conversation led us to a thoughtful examination of how individuals can draw from both Stoic and Epicurean teachings to navigate life's complexities. That’s in keeping with my book, Beyond Stoicism (also titled Live Like a Philosopher in the UK), which makes a case for the value of curating our own life philosophy! (Please note: My audio had some issues in this episode- I hope you can still hear it clearly.)