Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness

Episode 01

Seneca on Anger

Mar 26, 2000 · 24 min

Seneca believed anger flowed from our surprise when things don't turn out how we expect. Can Seneca's advice help angry van driver Wayne and stressed executive Venetia?

Episode 02

Schopenhauer on Love

Apr 2, 2000 · 24 min

German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer believed that love was the most important thing in life. His philosophy explains the mystery of why we fall in love with the people we do.

Episode 03

Epicurus on Happiness

Apr 9, 2000 · 24 min

Alain De Botton considers how the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus believed there were just three simple things we needed in order to be happy, and money wasn't one of them

Episode 04

Montaigne on Self-Esteem

Apr 16, 2000 · 24 min

Why do so many people suffer from feelings of low self-esteem? Alain De Botton looks at the problem through the eyes of the French 16th-century philosopher Michel de Montaigne.

Episode 05

Socrates on Self-Confidence

Apr 30, 2000 · 24 min

Alain demonstrates that ancient Athenian philosopher Socrates can help give us all the intellectual self-confidence we need to work out what we really think and believe

Episode 06

Nietzsche on Hardship

May 7, 2000 · 24 min

Friedrich Nietzsche believed that any worthwhile achievements in life come from the experience of overcoming hardship, and that a comfortable, painless existence wouldn't be worth living