Practical Stoicism

Practical Stoicism

Stoicism is the pursuit of Virtue (Aretê), which was defined by the Ancient Greeks as "the knowledge of how to live excellently," Stoicism is a holistic life philosophy meant to guide us towards the attainment of this knowledge through the development of our character. While many other Stoicism podcasts focus on explaining Ancient Stoicism in an academic or historical context, Practical Stoicism strives to port the ancient wisdom of this 2300-plus-year-old Greek Philosophy into contemporary times to provide practical advice for living today, not two millennia ago. Join American philosopher of Stoicism Tanner Campbell, every Monday and Friday, for new episodes.

Episodes

A Stoic Christmas Carol

November 26, 2025 • 19 mins
In this episode I take my favourite holiday film, A Muppet Christmas Carol, and use it to explore the Stoic idea that every human being is pulled toward moral excellence—even when they have spent years rolling downhill in the wrong shape. Scrooge’s story gives us a clear picture of how isolation, habit, early wounds, and neglect warp a person’s disposition, and how a return to goodness is still possible when someone is willing to f...
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Growing Into Roles We're Not Good At Yet

November 21, 2025 • 16 mins
In this episode I talk about what it’s like to take on a large number of new roles in a very short period of time, and how doing so can leave you feeling detached from yourself unless you approach those roles with clear thinking, humility, and attention. Over the last few years I became a husband, a father, an immigrant, and a practitioner in a new career field — all while continuing the roles I already had. That much change, that ...
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Living Well on a Hot Planet [The COP30]

November 14, 2025 • 25 mins
In this episode I take a current headline—the opening of COP30 in Belém, Brazil—and sit with it like a philosopher, not a pundit. Instead of debating policy language or political victories, I look at what a global event like this means for people trying to live excellently right now. How do we face something as vast as climate change without falling into despair, apathy, or outrage? How do we care well within the limits of what’s u...
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Gender Roles and the Rational Soul

November 5, 2025 • 22 mins
In this episode I take on a listener question about gender roles and Stoicism — whether they exist, how the Stoics would have defined them, and what any of it means for modern relationships. We look closely at Musonius Rufus, the so-called “fourth head” of the Stoic school, who argued that women and men share reason, virtue, and moral responsibility in equal measure — but who also, being a man of his time, fell back on some outdate...
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The Stoic Blot [with Jason Pack]

November 1, 2025 • 60 mins
In this episode I talk with Jason Pack — a world-class backgammon grandmaster, geopolitical analyst, and host of Disorder, a podcast about what he calls “the global enduring disorder.” It’s an unexpected mix of topics: the psychology of high-stakes decision-making, the Stoic discipline of attention, and how lessons from the game board apply to politics, leadership, and life. What starts as a conversation about dice and probability ...
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Phi Curious [with Massimo Pigliucci]

October 23, 2025 • 59 mins
In this episode I sit down with philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci to talk about his book Beyond Stoicism—and why, in his view, no single philosophy can capture everything it means to live well. We dive into the limits of ancient Stoicism, what modern life can borrow from other Greco-Roman schools, and how practices like skepticism, tempered hedonism, and transcendence can enrich our pursuit of virtue today. Key takeaways fr...
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What Stoicism Teaches About Courage Under Fire

October 15, 2025 • 20 mins
In this episode I reflect on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado — a living case study in courage, justice, and Stoic composure under pressure. I unpack what Stoic philosophy can teach us about moral action when outcomes are uncertain, why courage must always serve justice, and how to handle praise, power, and fear without losing our moral footing. Key takeaways from this epis...
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How Much News Should a Stoic Consume?

October 8, 2025 • 20 mins
In this episode I wrestle with how much news a practicing Stoic should actually consume. I define a “news media diet,” weigh different source types (fellow citizens, establishment outlets, and subject-matter experts), and argue for a role-driven, locality-first approach that respects our limits of time, competence, and control. I also share my own daily routine and a practical way to stay informed without burning out or being dragg...
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Can We Stoics Take A Day Off?

September 28, 2025 • 11 mins
In this episode I tackle a question that every practicing Stoic has probably wrestled with: can we ever take a day off from Stoicism? If the pursuit of virtue is supposed to shape every moment of our lives, does that mean we must always be vigilant, never resting? I explore what the ancient texts say, how the ancients themselves surely stumbled, and why purposeful rest isn’t a betrayal of Stoic practice but part of sustaining it. ...
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The Stoic Perspective on Abortion

September 21, 2025 • 15 mins
In this episode I take on one of the hardest and most emotionally charged topics of our time: abortion. Not to argue politics or to inflame division, but to examine how Stoicism frames the issue. We look at both pro-life and pro-choice arguments through Stoic logic, explore why rational agency is the core of the debate, and consider what it means to respect the choices of others when those choices belong to them and not to us. Key...
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From Defense to War: A Stoic Response to America’s Rebrand

September 12, 2025 • 23 mins
In this episode I unpack the recent announcement that the U.S. Department of Defense is being renamed the Department of War — and why, from a Stoic perspective, that shift in language and intent is antithetical to virtue. I explore what a true warrior ethos looks like according to Stoic philosophy, why intentions matter more than branding or rhetoric, and how populist theatrics around power can easily drift away from justice and wi...
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Can Stoics Eat Meat?

September 3, 2025 • 23 mins
In this episode I dig into the Stoic approach to diet and the perennial “should Stoics eat meat?” question. I lay out what “living in accordance with Nature” really means (Logos, not tree-hugging shorthand), why eating animals isn’t inherently un-Stoic, and where our reasoning can go vicious—especially with industrialized, commodified animal agriculture. I also talk through practical ways contemporary Stoics can eat more justly wit...
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Should Stoics Care About The Environment?

August 30, 2025 • 22 mins
In this episode I explore the Stoic perspective on the environment — how we should think about our roles and responsibilities toward nature, and whether caring for the natural world is a Stoic duty or an indulgence in trying to control what we cannot. Along the way, I share examples of real-world environmental issues, discuss the balance between regulation and freedom, and outline some practical ways we can each live “according to ...
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What If It Actually Is My Job?

August 22, 2025 • 18 mins
In this episode I reflect on the idea of responsibility through the lens of Spider-Man’s famous question, “What if it is my job?” I talk about how we can discern whether something really falls to us or not, how our roles and duties guide those decisions, and why happiness isn’t the point of life for a Stoic — virtue is. Along the way, I share thoughts on gut reactions, role-based reasoning, and how we can both accept where we are a...
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A Stoic's Perspective on Immigration (Broadly)

August 11, 2025 • 28 mins
In this episode I explore how Stoic principles apply to the controversial and often emotionally charged topic of immigration. Using the Circles of Concern as a framework, I examine why Stoics must care for all members of the Cosmopolis, even when cultural differences challenge us. I also break down why preserving culture “at all costs” is un-Stoic, and how moral reasoning—not fear, nationalism, or rigid legality—should guide immigr...
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Rhetoric as a Method of Self-Betterment [Interview with Jay Heinrichs]

August 4, 2025 • 60 mins
My interview with Jay Heinrichs, author of "Aristotle's Guide to Self-Persuasion." Buy the book here: https://stoicismpod.com/jay All my links here: https://links.stoicismpod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Introducing Season 3: Applied Stoicism

July 27, 2025 • 15 mins
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Guest Interview: The Strong Stoic Podcast

July 23, 2025 • 69 mins
Check out the Strong Stoic podcast at https://brandontumblin.com/strongstoicpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Guest Interview: The Tech Stoic Podcast

July 15, 2025 • 61 mins
Find Brian's show here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/14w68JEPb1D2suzGHAEWU9?si=4d97cdfb29244780 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Quick Update: I'm not dead!

July 13, 2025 • 5 mins
I live! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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