William James and Pragmatism Against Abstractions

On today’s episode, Kyle Grieve discusses how timeless philosophical ideas can deepen our understanding of investing and life. He explores lessons from thinkers such as Spinoza, Nietzsche, Hume, and Pascal to reveal how concepts like persistence, skepticism, and luck shape decision-making. Kyle also connects these ideas to modern investing by drawing on insights from Buffett, Voltaire, and Bruce Lee, showing how adaptability, emotional control, and inner reflection lead to better outcomes.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:18 - How Spinoza’s idea of eternity can guide timeless investing decisions 00:05:36 - The power of persistence and what conatus teaches us about successful businesses 00:07:56 - Why emotional self-mastery may be your greatest investing edge 00:10:19 - What Nietzsche and Buffett reveal about living with integrity in finance and life 00:16:30 - How Hume’s healthy skepticism leads to sharper questions and wiser decisions 00:26:01 - What Voltaire can teach us about challenging the Efficient Market Hypothesis 00:30:11 - How Blaise Pascal’s wild luck swings illuminate the role of chance in investing 00:35:52 - Why William James’s pragmatism can ground abstract financial ideas in reality 00:38:31 - How market simulations and symbols can distort or enhance our understanding 01:07:12 - What Bruce Lee’s Be Water mindset reveals about adaptability in investing

Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.

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