The place where we connect with the greater world is that point where the inner and the outer worlds meet. Let’s meet there . . .
I’ve worked as an editor and book publisher, a college professor, an educational consultant, and the director of a humanities center.
But the burning questions, which have always driven me, are these:
What is needed to live a truly flourishing life?
How can we have a dynamic, living relationship with the greater world, of which we’re a part?
How can we live with greater depth, insight, and understanding?
Living with Depth
I’ve studied ancient religions and philosophies, the history of science, and hold a PhD in philosophy and intellectual history. Yet in modern times, most philosophy has become a dead way of looking at the world.
But it wasn’t always that way. For the ancient Greeks — like Socrates, Plato, and the Stoics — philosophy was a journey rooted in friendship. It was a way of traveling together, to discover deeper truths about the world and about our own human nature.
Throughout my work, I’ve attempted to build bridges between the world of learning and modern life — and to extend these ancient ideas of learning and knowledge into the present.
Please join me on this journey and in these conversations.
Now Available
My most recent book, on the Stoic philosophy of Seneca, is now available and being published in sixteen languages. For full details, visit the book’s website:
The Living Ideas Journal — and an Upcoming Course
My new website, the Living Ideas Journal, explores how the humanities can contribute to the world today and deepen our experience of being alive.
I’m also offering a five-day course in Florence, Italy, in November 2023. You can read about the course here:
Books, Conversations, and Events
Read about my books and upcoming events on this website. And be sure to subscribe to my mailing list to learn about future events — and other ways that we can connect and engage in ongoing conversations.
“The first promise of real philosophy is a feeling of fellowship, sympathy, and community with others.” — Seneca
Community
Culture
Living Nature
Philosophy
Now available . . .
Breakfast with Seneca: A Stoic Guide to the Art of Living
The first clear and faithful guide to the timeless, practical teachings of the Stoic philosopher Seneca
Stoicism, the most influential philosophy of the Roman Empire, offers refreshingly modern ways to strengthen our inner character in the face of an unpredictable world. Widely recognized as the most talented and humane writer of the Stoic tradition, Seneca teaches us to live with freedom and purpose. His most enduring work, over a hundred “Letters from a Stoic” written to a close friend, explains how to handle adversity; overcome grief, anxiety, and anger; transform setbacks into opportunities for growth; and recognize the true nature of friendship.
In Breakfast with Seneca, philosopher David Fideler mines Seneca’s classic works in a series of focused chapters, clearly explaining Seneca’s ideas without oversimplifying them. Best enjoyed as a daily ritual, like an energizing cup of coffee, Seneca’s wisdom provides us with a steady stream of time-tested advice about the human condition—which, as it turns out, hasn’t changed much over the past two thousand years.
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