It's tempting to believe that our current moment is the most urgent of all. Yet despite the catastrophic pandemic, and threats from other urgent problems, humankind has faced worse calamities in the past— from global wars and plagues to economic collapse.

In this episode, we look at age-old lessons from philosophy and discover how ancient wisdom can be our guide in modern times.

Best-selling author, traveler, and former NPR foreign correspondent, Eric Weiner is our guide. He's the author of the recent book, "The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons From Dead Philosophers".

This episode is a fun ride, as we follow in the footsteps of history’s greatest thinkers—from Epicurus to Nietzsche, Thoreau to Gandhi— who show us practical and spiritual lessons for today’s unsettled times.

Philosophy helps us during our struggle with disturbing questions raised by the pandemic: How can we remain calm in an uncertain age? How do we endure tough times? There are no easy answers, but philosophy can help us gain a wise sense of perspective, and ask better questions.

The age-old lesson from philosophers, says Eric, is that "you can put down your iPhone and close your laptop, and stop acquiring more bits of data."

Recommendation: Richard has just finished reading the remarkable novel, "Hamnet" by Maggie O'Farrell. Set in England in 1596, The book is an exploration of grief, marriage and family life.