In this enlightening discussion, philosophers Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko from the University of Notre Dame share insights from their book on living a meaningful life. They explore virtue ethics and the significance of intentions, emphasizing the balance between love and work. The duo highlights the art of asking 'strong questions' to foster deep conversations and truth-seeking. They also delve into the concepts of eudaimonia, moral identity, and the vital role of attention in nurturing relationships, weaving ancient wisdom into modern life.

Meghan Sullivan, a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame and co-author of "The Good Life Method," shares insights on what it means to live a good life. She dives into the importance of meaningful goals, personal reflection, and the role of virtue ethics in shaping character. The conversation also touches on the power of asking questions to deepen relationships and the impact of daily habits on our sense of fulfillment. Sullivan emphasizes empathy, dialogue, and philosophical inquiry as essential components for human flourishing.

Most everyone wants to live a good, meaningful life, though we don't always know what that means and how to do it. Plenty of modern self-improvement programs claim to point people in the right direction, but many of the best answers were already offered more than two thousand years ago.My guests have gleaned the cream of this orienting, ancient-yet-evergreen advice from history's philosophers and shared it in their new book, The Good Life Method: Reasoning Through the Big Questions of Happiness, Faith, and Meaning. Their names are Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko, and they're professors of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. Today on the show Meghan and Paul introduce us to the world of virtue ethics — an approach to philosophy that examines the nature of the good life, the values and habits that lead to excellence, and how to find and fulfill your purpose as a human being. We discuss how to seek truth with other people by asking them three levels of what they call "strong questions" and engaging in civil and fruitful dialogue. We then delve into why your intentions matter and why you should use "morally thick" language. We also examine the role that work and love has to play in pursuing the good life, and how the latter is very much about attention. We end our conversation with how a life of eudaimonia — full human flourishing — requires balancing action with contemplation.Resources Related to the PodcastAoM article and podcast on phronesis or practical wisdomAristotle’s Nicomachean EthicsAfter Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyreAoM Article: Why Are Modern Debates on Morality So Shrill?Sunday Firesides: Virtue Isn’t Virtue Til It's TestedIris MurdochAoM Article: Why Men Should Read More FictionThe Road by Cormac McCarthyAoM podcast on The RoadAoM article on contemplative self-examination, including instructions on how to do the examen of St. IgnatiusConnect With Meghan and PaulMeghan's Faculty PagePaul's Faculty Page

Meghan Sullivan & Paul Blaschko are Philosophy Professors at the University of Notre Dame and authors.How to lead a good life is one of the biggest quandaries that humans struggle with. How to think about status and money and love and death are huge challenges. Today we get to find out some of philosophy's answers to life's most fundamental questions.Expect to learn the role of truth in leading a good life, what history has to teach us about responsibility and agency, why Socrates was the world's first troll, how generosity is linked to fulfilment, what Marcus Aurelius says about fears of the future, Paul & Meghan's issues with Stoicism and much more...Sponsors:Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours at https://www.drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)Get 20% discount on the highest quality CBD Products from Pure Sport at https://bit.ly/cbdwisdom (use code: MW20)Extra Stuff:Buy The Good Life Method - https://amzn.to/3G1hPYt Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom-Get in touch.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillxTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillxYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcastEmail: https://chriswillx.com/contact/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philosophers Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko discuss the complexity of happiness and the value of asking meaningful questions. They reflect on the importance of direct attention in relationships and the impact of technology. Stoic philosophy and the pursuit of virtue and reality are also explored as paths to happiness.