182 episodes

In Search of Wisdom is a podcast for seekers and curious minds interested in timeless principles and practices for everyday life. Join the search with J.W. Bertolotti from the Perennial Leader Project as he engages in meaningful conversations with leading thinkers in philosophy, theology, and everything in between. Learn more at PerennialLeader.com.

In Search of Wisdom Perennial Leader Project

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.9 • 28 Ratings

In Search of Wisdom is a podcast for seekers and curious minds interested in timeless principles and practices for everyday life. Join the search with J.W. Bertolotti from the Perennial Leader Project as he engages in meaningful conversations with leading thinkers in philosophy, theology, and everything in between. Learn more at PerennialLeader.com.

    Rediscovering Wise Elders with Dr. Dilip Jeste

    Rediscovering Wise Elders with Dr. Dilip Jeste

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    In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Dr. Dilip Jeste, author of Wiser: The Scientific Roots of Wisdom, Compassion, and What Makes Us Good. In this conversation, Dr. Jeste emphasizes the importance of social connections and compassion in developing wisdom and improving overall well-being. He also highlights the negative impact of loneliness on mental and physical health and suggests that wisdom can serve as an antidote to loneliness. The conversation concludes with insights on the importance of humility, self-reflection, and finding meaning and purpose in life. 
    Key Takeaways:
    Wisdom is a characteristic pattern of behavior that can vary in individuals and across different components.Social connections and compassion are essential for developing wisdom and improving overall well-being.Loneliness has a negative impact on mental and physical health, and wisdom can serve as an antidote to loneliness.Humility is essential for wisdom and involves recognizing our own ignorance and the limitations of our knowledge.
    ---
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    Twitter: https://twitter.com/PerennialPodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/perennialmeditations/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialPodsWebsite: https://www.perennialleader.com/---
    🦉 Additional Resources:
    Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

    • 55 min
    The Wisdom to Know the Difference | Perennial Meditations

    The Wisdom to Know the Difference | Perennial Meditations

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    In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, we discuss a practice I usually refer to as the wisdom to know the difference. Specifically, we revisit and reflect on a previous meditation (from the Letters to a Young Seeker series) titled Neither Good Nor Bad. You can expect to learn what it means to discern between what matters and what doesn’t (in everyday life).
    Key Takeaways:
    The meaning of neither good nor badWhy we are wired to categorize and labelHow to get comfortable with ambiguityThe wisdom of questions and clarity
    ---
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    Twitter: https://twitter.com/PerennialPodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/perennialmeditations/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialPodsWebsite: https://www.perennialleader.com/---
    🦉 Additional Resources:
    Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

    • 12 min
    The Decent Life with Todd May

    The Decent Life with Todd May

    📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe
    In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Todd May, author of A Decent Life: Morality for the Rest of Us. Todd is a philosopher and author of eighteen books, including A Significant Life, A Fragile Life, and a forthcoming book titled Should We Go Instinct?. Todd worked as a philosophical advisor on the hit show The Good Place and has written extensively on meaning, friendship, fragility, and other topics.
    Key Takeaways:
    The meaning of a moral lifeThe art of knowing oneselfExpanding our circles of compassionPractical wisdom for modern living
    ---
    🖇️ Stay Connected:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/PerennialPodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/perennialmeditations/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialPodsWebsite: https://www.perennialleader.com/---
    🦉 Additional Resources:
    Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

    • 46 min
    "Think Like a Mortal" | Perennial Meditations

    "Think Like a Mortal" | Perennial Meditations

    📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe
    In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, I reflect on a previous meditation titled Think Like a Mortal (from Perennial Meditations on Substack) and explore what it means to live an intentional life. I discuss how realizing that we are “dying every day” can help us live in the present moment and lead more meaningful lives.
    Key Takeaways
    The wisdom of accepting life’s eternal truthsThe paradox of uncertaintyThe need for constraints and limitsHappiness (and Life) is in the present---
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    Twitter: https://twitter.com/PerennialPodsInstagram: https://instagram.com/PerennialPodsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialPodsWebsite: https://www.perennialleader.com/---
    🦉 Additional Resources:
    Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

    • 11 min
    Getting Over Yourself with Jay Garfield

    Getting Over Yourself with Jay Garfield

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    In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Prof. Jay Garfield, author of Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live without a Self. Jay Garfield is the Doris Silbert Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy, Logic, and Buddhist Studies at Smith College and a visiting professor of Buddhist philosophy at Harvard Divinity School. Prof. Garfield is the author of multiple books, including Buddhist Philosophy, Engaging Buddhism, and Buddhist Ethics.

    Key Takeaways:
    What it means to lose ourselvesThe difference between conventional and ultimate truthsWhy losing ourselves connects with an ethical lifeHow to reclaim our humanity***If you enjoyed the conversation (and are interested in learning more), I encourage you to listen to Jay’s conversation on The Wisdom Podcast. 
    ---
    🖇️ Stay Connected:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/PerennialPodsInstagram: https://instagram.com/PerennialPodsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialPodsWebsite: https://www.perennialleader.com/---
    🦉 Additional Resources:
    Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

    • 54 min
    True, Good, and Beautiful with Shane Trotter | The Character Lab

    True, Good, and Beautiful with Shane Trotter | The Character Lab

    📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe
    The Character Lab is a new series on In Search of Wisdom designed to explore various aspects of character development. The series is a joint venture with my friend and previous podcast guest, Shane Trotter (author of Setting the Bar). In this episode, Shane and I discuss the complex topic of objective morality and the shift towards moral relativism in society. We explore the role of judgment in ethics and the need for cognitive flexibility, the provisional nature of moral behavior, and the inherent insight humans have into right and wrong. We also touch on the tendency towards moral relativism, the need for clarity in virtues, and the importance of serving the greater good. 
    Key Takeaways
    Society has seen a shift towards moral relativism, where individuals believe that there is no objective good or bad.Moral objectivism suggests that there are universal truths of morality that humans have independently come to throughout history.The tension between pluralism and dogmatism highlights the need for open-mindedness and the recognition of competing moralities.Discerning right from wrong is challenging and requires wisdom, discussion, and the pursuit of excellence in character development.---
    🖇️ Stay Connected:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/PerennialPodsInstagram: https://instagram.com/PerennialPodsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialPodsWebsite: https://www.perennialleader.com/---
    🦉 Additional Resources:
    Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

    • 1 hr 2 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
28 Ratings

28 Ratings

Ruffdog113 ,

Amazing podcast!

This is a fantastic podcast! I love the episodes with Massimo and Oliver! Can’t recommend this podcast enough!

Pedro Alejandro Torres ,

Why does everything have to be about stoicism?

Good podcast but more variety would be appreciated.

lalalallllssssl ,

Great thoughts, actionable advice

I love this podcast! What a great way to learn different ontologies and epistemologies!

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