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.