The Philosophy Prescription

Brought to you by Penguin.

'It's not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.' This was Seneca's assessment two millennia ago, and arguably it's not much different now. Billions of us are here together with no clear idea why anything exists, no agreement on what to do while we exist, and a generally mute denial about our own upcoming non-existence.

Philosophy is the space where we commit to an honest dialogue about this situation: the good-faith attempt to cut to the heart of the matter. What does it mean to be someone's child, or their parent? What is the purpose of beauty ? And what can a Japanese sage teach us about death?

There may be no guidebook for life, but there is comfort in knowing there are others who have gone through all this, too. Warmly written and full of timeless wisdom, The Philosophy Prescription invites you to join the shared search for answers.

© Jack Maden 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026