Three Ways to Pursue Self-Reflection: Stoic Guidance for Knowing Yourself

3min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

The ability to reflect critically on priorities, decisions, and the desired self is important. Stoics suggest three ways to pursue self-reflection: 1) Critical self-reflection through journaling and asking oneself questions, 2) Engaging in conversations with peers or mentors who can point out rationalizations and provide alternative perspectives, and 3) Choosing role models and considering their actions when faced with difficult decisions. Research shows that keeping a role model in mind can improve behavior. The role model should be someone who is perceived to act in the right way more often than not, not necessarily a perfect person.

Send us a text

Massimo Pigliucci, author of The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us About Our Search for Good Leaders, joins the show to answer a three thousand year old question: Are we born with good character or can we develop it? Professor Pigliucci and Joe discuss how the ancient Greeks and Romans approached character development and how and their ancient teachings can help us live better lives today.

Prof. Pigliucci has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Connecticut and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee. He currently is the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. His research interests include the philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophies like Stoicism and New Skepticism.

Prof. Pigliucci has been elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science “for fundamental studies of genotype by environmental interactions and for public defense of evolutionary biology from pseudo-scientific attack.”

In the area of public outreach, Prof. Pigliucci has published in national and international outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, among others. He is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and a Contributing Editor to Skeptical Inquirer. He writes on practical and general philosophy at Medium.

At last count, Prof. Pigliucci has published 176 technical papers in science and philosophy. He is also the author or editor of 16 books, including the best selling How to Be A Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (Basic Books). Other titles include Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk (University of Chicago Press), and The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders (Basic Books).