How to be good    What a thrill to welcome Massimo Pigliucci to the podcast once again! His thoughts on moral philosophy, his direct speaking style and use of analogies always remind me of Epictetus – a hero we both admire. He also asks questions that give, well, pause. What is the function of a human being? What does it mean to be excellent? In 51 minutes of fascinating conversation, we explore these questions and other less-taken roads.   Massimo’s new book launches next week, so we touched on that as well. The new book has two titles (yes, plural: either ‘The Quest for Character’ or ‘How to be Good’, depending on where you buy it). One can actually learn to be good, says Pigliucci. It’s akin to playing an instrument. Find a good teacher, a role model. Expand your natural instincts… and practice. Maximize your imperative! Sound familiar? The Macs also got the inside scoop about leaders with questionable characters and why we choose them. Sound like an earful? It is. And it’s a most-rewarding listen, just like every conversation with this compelling thinker and story-weaver.   What’s your circle of concern? Next door? Across the world? See it in a different light. Just press play. More about Massimo Pigliucci: www.massimopigliucci.org More about Fief: www.fiefmacrander.com [email protected]