How to Be a (Happy) Skeptic : Cicero and the Power of Curiosity for a Purposeful Life

Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
Publish date: 4 June 2026
Pages: 320
Language: English

Subjects: Philosophy, Science, Cognitive Science, Self-Help, Social Science

Updating ancient philosophy with modern cognitive and social science, a leading philosopher reveals how a sceptical approach is the perfect guide to a good life

The ancient Greeks and Romans devised an approach to life based on the notion that we don't know as much as we think we do, and that adjusting our beliefs to the evidence while keeping in mind that we could be wrong about things is the path to a happy and meaningful life and a just society.

In HOW TO BE A (HAPPY) SKEPTIC, philosopher and scientist Massimo Pigliucci adopts as his guide the ancient Roman public advocate, orator, statesman and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero to reveal the benefits of cultivating curiosity and doubt in the pursuit of knowledge throughout our life.

Following Cicero's life and works, Pigliucci explores the foundations for a good life, from how to formulate our values to how to nurture friendships, from how to be a good citizen and fight for social justice to how to handle grief, pain and even death - all the while setting this ancient wisdom in the context of modern knowledge.