February 2023 – David E. Storey

February 10, 2023September 24, 2024

Episode #32: The Middle Way with Lou Marinoff

Lou Marinoff helped pioneer and popularize philosophical counseling and authored the international bestseller Plato not Prozac. His work has been featured in The Economist and the The New York Times, and beyond his work as a professor and counselor, he has consulted with many organizations all over the world, including the World Economic Forum.

In our latest dialogue, Lou spells out his diagnosis of the pathological extremes in American culture, and offers the Middle Way of the “ABCs”–Aristotle, Buddha, and Confucius–to help us make sense of and work through our troubled times.

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023

Episode #31: Jared Woodard, Investment Strategist

Jared Woodard is head of the Research Investment Committee and director for Global
Investment Strategy at Band of America Global Research. In this role, he offers insights on global asset allocation and key market trends to the firm’s institutional, government and retail clients.

Jared also holds a PhD in Philosophy from Fordham University, where he was a classmate of mine. How does someone shift from a PhD in philosophy to a successful career in finance? Tune in to find out. Beyond his own career transition story, Jared and I discuss metaphysical nihilism, the challenges of the 21st century economy, and the enduring value of the liberal arts.

Note: The views discussed in this episode are Jared’s own and do not reflect those of his employer.

February 3, 2023September 24, 2024

Episode #30: Values of the Wise with Jason Merchey

Jason Merchey embodies the Socratic ethos and the philosophical way of life: the humble search for wisdom. He has served in many roles—from clinical psychologist, to real estate investor, to therapy dog trainer—but his guiding passion is the love of wisdom. In his recent book, Wisdom: A Very Valuable Virtue that Cannot Be Taught, he explores this virtue that is so elusive yet so essential to a life well lived.

Jason has developed practical tools to help people develop wisdom in their own life, including the Top Values Tool and the Ethical Decision Making Guide. Self-knowledge is a key component of wisdom, and we don’t often have occasion to step back and reflect on why, exactly, we do what we do. Check them out!

In this conversation, we explore the nature of wisdom and many things more, from wisdom in investing to one of my favorite topics: the wisdom of dogs.