THE RIFKIND CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES AND ARTS
PRESENTS

How to Be a (Happy) Skeptic

The Power of Doubt in a Meaningful Life–Lessons from Cicero’s Philosophy

A book talk by Professor of Philosophy Massimo Pigliucci
 

Thursday, October 8, 5:00 – 6:30pm

In Person (NAC 6/316, Rifkind Center) and via ZOOM

Using the ancient Roman public advocate, statesman, and thinker Marcus Tullius Cicero as his guide, Massimo Pigliucci reveals the way to a meaningful, happy life. Cicero lived in turbulent times at the end of the Roman Republic. He followed Plato’s Skeptical Academy, believing a spirit of inquiry and an open-minded attitude were the secrets to living well: from how to formulate our values to how to nurture friendships; from being a good citizen and fighting for social justice to handling grief, pain, and even death. His writings offer valuable lessons in the practical philosophy of reason and common sense.

Massimo Pigliucci is an author, blogger, podcaster, as well as the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at CCNY. His academic work is in evolutionary biology, philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophy. His books include How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (Basic Books) and Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk (University of Chicago Press).

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC