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3 Great Philosophical Movies to Watch Tonight

6/1/2023

Great cinema, and great art in general, can enhance our lives with a sense of joy and meaning. Such excellent films make us laugh, cry, and get us thinking about the deeper significance of life. I've been wanting to write a post for a while about some highly philosophical films that I really enjoyed watching. Below, I'll share three of the best with you.

For those who haven't seen these films, while I summarize and discuss the philosophical themes, I think I have been careful not to reveal anything that would spoil the movie or reveal the entire plot.

Finally, before we dive in, one other excellent movie that tops my list of philosophical films is the sword and sorcery film Solomon Kane, but I already did a detailed write-up of it back in 2016 that you can read here. Now, let's discuss three other great philosophical films to watch tonight:

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New Video: The Ethics of Sex and Guns with Dan Demetriou

5/16/2023

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In this provocative discussion, I interview philosopher Dan Demetriou about his work on sexual ethics and self-defense.

We discuss societal trends which are leading to Dan's (Gen Y) students having less sex than prior generations and being more sexually unhappy on the whole. Dan discusses statistics indicating a that high percent of young men today are sexless, why people are dating or getting married less frequently, and the negative implications that this may have for Western civilization. Dan also discusses his work on "sexual creepiness," why people get called creepy, and when it might be fair or unfair to classify someone as "creepy."

We also discuss self-defense, pacifism, and how Dan's argument for dignity informs the gun rights debate from a position that both left and right might agree on.

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Beauty in Philosophy, Ethics, and Art: A Conversation with David Fideler

4/19/2023

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In this engaging conversation, David Fideler and I delve into the rich history of ancient Greek philosophy to explore the concept of beauty as an objective quality of nature.

We discuss the ideas of Pythagoras, Plato, and the Stoics, and the ideas they held about beauty. In this highly illustrated video, we also explore the importance of harmony and proportion in nature and art, and how they were used to enhance beauty in ancient architecture and Renaissance paintings.

The conversation also touches on the connections between beauty, truth, and goodness, and the timeless wisdom of ancient philosophy that can still inspire us today.

Links: https://livingideasjournal.com/
https://therenaissanceprogram.com/the-renaissance-program-in-florence-italy/

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What Does it Mean to be an Aristotelian?

3/17/2023

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This guest post was first published at Freedom and Flourishing by my friend Winton Bates, author of the excellent book Freedom, Progress and Human Flourishing.*

In my view, Aristotelians are people who seek guidance from Aristotle's Ethics in considering how to live their lives.

I was prompted to consider this thanks to an article by John Sellars entitled "How to be an Aristotelian" (recently published in Antigone). While thinking about the question I read Sellars’ new book, Aristotle, Understanding the World’s Greatest Philosopher.* By coincidence, at the same time I was reading Stoicism Today, Volume 4,* which contains an article by John Sellars entitled "Hard Truths and Happiness". The approach that Sellars adopts in discussing what it means to be a Stoic seems to also be relevant when considering what it means to be an Aristotelian. (I also think many of the articles in Stoicism Today are worth reading. It is fascinating to read about how people seek to apply this ancient philosophy in their daily lives.)

I will begin by outlining Sellars’ view about what it means to be a Stoic, and discuss the view Sellars presents of what it means to be an Aristotelian in his Antigone article before moving to a discussion of the approach he adopts in his book, and conclude with some comments on what it means to be an Aristotelian:

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Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids Online Course and Book Review

2/28/2023

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I just finished taking an in-depth 12 week parenting course, Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, that I have really benefited from, and I'd like to share more about it with you. Laura Markham, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, and founder of the Aha! Parenting website, based her approach "Peaceful Parenting." As a longtime reader of Dr. Laura's website, I'm very excited to be able to review both the course and Dr. Laura's book!

The Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids course teaches parents to coach and connect with their children while better regulating their own (parental) emotions. Both course and book provide many strategies on how to have a more positive, cooperative relationship with your children. The course offers detailed strategies and information, plus weekly audio lectures, daily meditations to help rewire your brain, and homework. Interestingly, this parenting philosophy is very compatible with Stoicism, which also seeks better emotional regulation.

In this post, I've written a full review of the course including key concepts, who will benefit from it, plus benefits and drawbacks of this parenting approach. If you're interested, but not enough to commit to a 12 week course, the key concepts are all addressed in Dr. Laura's book, Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting available on Amazon.*

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5 Ways to Counterbalance an Ugly and Barren Cultural Landscape

1/20/2023

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In 1962, French philosopher René Guénon suggested that we live in "degenerate times", at the end of a long age during which important spiritual truths have been forgotten, ancient centers of wisdom have been destroyed and the guardians of that wisdom dispersed.

In my opinion, many modern people are hurting from a lack of beauty, meaning and wisdom in their lives. I myself sometimes get stuck in the cultural doldrums and begin to forget what is important. Beautiful things lift the spirit. Meaning gives our lives true purpose. Wisdom helps us to live well.

Our current situation is not always helped by popular culture, which with some exceptions, isn't particularly beautiful, meaningful or wise. If we want independence from the toxic values of popular culture, there are things we can do to counterbalance those toxic values. Here are 5 suggestions for counterbalancing today's barren cultural landscape:

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New Video: Why Free Speech Is Misunderstood

12/9/2022

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This month's video explains why free speech is often misunderstood: because people confuse defending someone's civil right to free speech with agreeing with what they say.

Just because you defend someone’s right to speak freely does not mean you agree with the content of their speech. You could vigorously disagree with what they are saying but still defend their right to say it. This video explains why, in a non-partisan way as always.

I also cover:

A brief history of free speech/parrhesia which dates back to ancient Greece
The rationale for free speech in the modern context, why it's so important for liberal democracy, and what happens when we loose this right
Why anyone working for social justice who doesn't support free speech is hurting their own cause

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My Stoicon 2022 Panel Discussion - New Books About Stoicism

11/14/2022

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Last month I participated in a panel discussion during Stoicon 2022, moderated by Harald Kavli, which focused on recent books about Stoicism and their authors or editors. Please enjoy the video!

The panelists included: Karen Duffy/Duff Lambros, Donald Robertson, Kevin Vost, me (Leah Goldrick), David Fideler, and Nancy Sherman.

The discussion touched on our just-released book Stoicism Today: Selected Writings Volume 4, that I co-edited and contributed to. There was also a long discussion about the life of Stoic philosopher Seneca, featured in David Fideler's new book Breakfast with Seneca.

Modern Stoicism is a non-profit limited company, registered in the UK, run by a multidisciplinary team of volunteers. Its aims are to research and publish information on the application of Stoic philosophy to modern living for the benefit of the general public.

*Post contains Amazon Associate links. I may earn a small commission from any purchases.

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Announcing Stoicism Today: Selected Writings Volume 4!

10/14/2022

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In recent years, the ancient philosophy of Stoicism has made a terrific impression on modern minds. I am very excited to announce the launch of Stoicism Today: Selected Writings Volume 4, on Friday October 21, 2022. The paperback and eBook are available on Amazon. I am both a contributing author and the co-editor, along with Greg Sadler, the editor of the Stoicism Today blog. Volume 4 follows our publication of Volume 3 in 2021.

I'll be talking about the book at the upcoming Stoicon 2022, on October 29, during the panel for discussion for authors of new books about Stoicism. Please sign up for Stoicon 2022 here. Registration is free.

I am thrilled to have been part of another project that will further the study of Stoicism and the practical application of philosophy. This volume was underwritten by the generosity of a patron of philosophy and Stoicism, who would prefer to remain anonymous. Profits from sales of this book will go to supporting the ongoing work of the Modern Stoicism organization. Please scroll to the bottom of the post to see Greg's video about the book with more information.

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The Top 5 Personality Traits Necessary for Resisting Social Pressure, And How You Can Develop Them

9/23/2022

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In the 1950s psychologist Solomon Asche conducted a famous social science conformity experiment. While there are some variables, Asche concluded that roughly 3 out of every 4 people will conform to social pressure in a given situation.

Many of us are inclined to follow the majority or yield to social pressure because of our evolutionary biology. When our ancestors lived in tribes, we learned various skills by watching others and there were significant risks to our survival for being ostracized from the group. While there are fewer risks to our survival for not conforming with the majority today, there are still risks of being ostracized socially when we disagree. There are also psychological factors at work. People conform because they want to be right, because they want to be liked, or at the very least, because they don't want to seem eccentric or strange.

The ability to resist social pressure is quite important, because it determines what we will do in many contexts and how much backbone we have. While there may be some social drawbacks to resisting peer pressure, there are many benefits as well, such as not always seeking other's approval, thinking more openly, standing up for yourself in situations that matter, living a more authentic life, avoiding potential harm, and perhaps having more opportunities or career success.

Some people naturally have personality traits that make them more resistant to social pressure, but anyone can develop these traits with practice. Here, I'll discuss the stop 5 traits of peer pressure resistant people and how you can develop these traits:

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Forward>>

3 Great Philosophical Movies to Watch Tonight

New Video: The Ethics of Sex and Guns with Dan Demetriou

Beauty in Philosophy, Ethics, and Art: A Conversation with David Fideler

What Does it Mean to be an Aristotelian?

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids Online Course and Book Review

5 Ways to Counterbalance an Ugly and Barren Cultural Landscape

New Video: Why Free Speech Is Misunderstood

My Stoicon 2022 Panel Discussion - New Books About Stoicism

Announcing Stoicism Today: Selected Writings Volume 4!

The Top 5 Personality Traits Necessary for Resisting Social Pressure, And How You Can Develop Them

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​Book of the Month: Journal Like a Stoic by Brittany Polat

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Understanding and Applying Stoic Ethics In Modern Life:

​Follow Common Sense Ethics on Pinterest:

​Join the Stoic Parents Facebook Group:

Book of the Month: Journal Like a Stoic by Brittany Polat

Personal Growth Resources:

Follow Common Sense Ethics on Pinterest:

Join the Stoic Parents Facebook Group: