Outreach Signals
Publishing Details
Contact & Outreach
About This Podcast
Explore Statistics
Recent Episodes
Seneca on living in accordance with nature
When taken out of context, philosophical statements can prove misleading; when poorly defined, they become dangerous; and the more frequently they are repeated, the more dangerous they become.Seneca…
Feasibility of Seneca's advice to live in accordance with nature
Like most ancient philosophers, Seneca used grandiloquent terms to spice up his writings. For instance, he employed the words “cosmos” and “natural order” to designate rather mundane events.…
Realism and Seneca's advice to live in accordance with nature
It’s hypocritical to recommend poverty when one is wealthy, or to recommend passivity when one has displayed remarkable industriousness for decades. I am afraid that Seneca is to blame on both…
Productiveness and Seneca's advice to live in accordance with nature
The ancient Roman republican values can be illustrated by individuals like Cincinnatus or Scipio Africanus. Their actions embody valour, equanimity, and above all, productiveness.Cincinnatus (519-430…
Seneca on living simply
Historians seldom remark that exoticism or strangeness adds value to the advice of ancient philosophers. I mean exoticism and strangeness in the sense of “Verfremdung,” the concept coined by Bertolt…
Practicability of Seneca's advice to live simply
Despite being himself wealthy, Seneca wrote extensively about the advantages of living simply. He came up with dozens of examples that support his advice, but is Seneca someone we can trust? And is…
Perspectives on Seneca's advice to live simply
I find it surprising that so many people equate living simply with living in poverty. They regard deprivation and discomfort as the prerequisites of simplicity. They abhor high ambitions in…
Seneca on achieving a balanced life
When people advise me to embrace a balanced lifestyle, I’m always interested in hearing the details. What do they mean by “balanced”? Do they mean that I should allocate equal time to work, sleep and…
Seneca's recipe for achieving a balanced life
Cooking recipes are hard to carry out perfectly the first time if the process is too complex. Even if the recipe is described in great detail, one must deal with variability in the ingredients in…
Seneca on dealing with pain and suffering
Seneca made some worthy recommendations about how to deal with pain and suffering. Unfortunately, he also dispensed plenty of irrational, harmful ones. It’s important to tell the difference between…
Seneca's best advice for dealing with pain and suffering
Seneca wrote hundreds of pages about how to grief and fear in difficult times. Modern readers can benefit from Seneca’s wise recommendations for dealing with pain and suffering. I am going to…
Seneca on leading a life of virtue
The term “virtue” has become so overused that it is healthy to look at it with suspicion. Unfortunately, it often happens that people will invoke virtue to further their personal interests and then…
Practical advice from Seneca on leading a life of virtue
Although Seneca employed the term “virtue” inconsistently, his incoherence did not prevent him from making profound observations about human nature, virtue, personal success and happiness.In his 71st…
Seneca's examples of a virtuous life
There is often a considerable distance between the sayings and the actions of philosophers. Especially when they employ a grandiloquent tone, I prefer to look at their biography and see for myself if…
Seneca on leading a life of moderation
It is easy to preach moderation when one does not have the resources or capability to engage in excesses. If I can afford to eat only bread and cheese, it doesn’t cost me anything to speak against…
Mistakes in Seneca's doctrine of moderation
Despite its benefits, there is a crucial flaw in the doctrine of moderation proposed by Seneca. The problem is not new in the history of philosophy. Four centuries earlier, Aristotle (384-322 BC) had…
The practice of Seneca's doctrine of moderation
Experience has taught me to be sceptical of philosophical or ideological proclamations, especially when they conflict with my own observations. Seneca wrote abundantly about self-control and…
Seneca's two principles for a life of moderation
One of the advantages of reading Seneca is that it helps us think in terms of principles. Philosophy is meant to provide universal insights that help us solve problems rapidly.In his 8th Letter to…
Seneca and self-discipline
Realistic individuals are naturally suspicious of propositions that look too good to be true. No wonder. Experience proves to all that there is no free lunch, and that we should better watch out when…
Critique of Seneca's call for self-discipline
Seneca’s fall from grace in the early Roman Empire had been spectacular. In a short period, he had gone from imperial chancellor to deportee. He had gone from the luxuries of Rome to exile on an…
Frequently Asked Questions
John Vespasian has published 506 episodes since February 2025, covering topics in Science, Social Sciences.
John Vespasian is currently active with new episodes hourly. Average episode length is 6m.
Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for John Vespasian, including email and social media links.
Similar Podcasts
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
612 episodes
TED Radio Hour
NPR
300 episodes
On Being with Krista Tippett
On Being Studios
985 episodes
Stuff To Blow Your Mind
iHeartPodcasts
3,122 episodes
Mysterious Universe
8th Kind
20 episodes
The Brohio Podcast
Aliens, Conspiracy Theories, Paranormal, Famous Murders, Cryptozoology, Strange Occurrences, Monsters, UFOs, True Crime, Demons, Occult, Urban Legends, Comedy
507 episodes