Tricycle Talks Ethical Living in Uncertain Times with Stephen Batchelor
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Aug 27, 2025 In this conversation, Stephen Batchelor, a writer and Tricycle contributing editor from southwest France, shares insights from his book on navigating ethical living through uncertainty. He explores how the teachings of the Buddha and Socrates can inspire creativity and empathy in challenging times. Batchelor discusses the 'cartography of care' in Buddhist ethics and connects individual actions to societal development. He promotes a balance of certainty and uncertainty in decision-making, urging listeners to reflect on their ethical choices amidst modern dilemmas.
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Three Threads of a Living Conversation
- Stephen Batchelor frames the book as a three-part conversation between his Buddhist path, Socratic/Greek thought, and contemporary ethical living.
- He interweaves Plato/Socrates with his Buddhist journey to make ancient ideas speak to our present condition.
Ethics Over Metaphysics
- Batchelor compares the historical Gautama and Socrates as ethical innovators who shifted focus from metaphysics to practical living.
- Both emphasized non-reactivity and refined judgment as central to ethical life.
Four Facts, Not Dogma
- Batchelor reframes the Four Noble Truths as four lived tasks rather than propositional metaphysics.
- He reads the path as skills for embracing suffering, letting reactivity be, and cultivating a flourishing life.
