How to Be a (Happy) Skeptic
On sale
16th June 2026
Price: £20
Updating ancient philosophy with modern cognitive and social science, a leading philosopher reveals how a sceptical approach is the perfect guide to a good life
The ancient Greeks and Romans devised an approach to life based on the notion that we don’t know as much as we think we do, and that adjusting our beliefs to the evidence while keeping in mind that we could be wrong about things is the path to a happy and meaningful life and a just society.
In HOW TO BE A (HAPPY) SKEPTIC, philosopher and scientist Massimo Pigliucci adopts as his guide the ancient Roman public advocate, orator, statesman and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero to reveal the benefits of cultivating curiosity and doubt in the pursuit of knowledge throughout our life.
Following Cicero’s life and works, Pigliucci explores the foundations for a good life, from how to formulate our values to how to nurture friendships, from how to be a good citizen and fight for social justice to how to handle grief, pain and even death – all the while setting this ancient wisdom in the context of modern knowledge.
The ancient Greeks and Romans devised an approach to life based on the notion that we don’t know as much as we think we do, and that adjusting our beliefs to the evidence while keeping in mind that we could be wrong about things is the path to a happy and meaningful life and a just society.
In HOW TO BE A (HAPPY) SKEPTIC, philosopher and scientist Massimo Pigliucci adopts as his guide the ancient Roman public advocate, orator, statesman and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero to reveal the benefits of cultivating curiosity and doubt in the pursuit of knowledge throughout our life.
Following Cicero’s life and works, Pigliucci explores the foundations for a good life, from how to formulate our values to how to nurture friendships, from how to be a good citizen and fight for social justice to how to handle grief, pain and even death – all the while setting this ancient wisdom in the context of modern knowledge.
Reviews
How to Be a (Happy) Skeptic is the book we've been waiting for! If you've ever recoiled from Stoicism as too austere, this book offers a sensible, socially responsible middle ground to living the life you want. What's more, it is the single best guide now available to the rich body of practical wisdom written by Marcus Tullius Cicero
How to Be a (Happy) Skeptic combines intellectual biography with self-help writing of the best kind, showing us how curiosity and doubt - not certainty, or faith - can be foundational for a rich, fulfilling life
This book is a wide-ranging introduction to ancient Greco-Roman ethics and a swift history of Cicero's life and times. More importantly, it's a compelling guide to living well - to thinking reasonably, to savoring friendship, to building a better society, and to facing suffering with dignity and grace
A lively and engaging guide to ancient theories on topics that remain essential in the modern world, such as ethics, friendship, happiness, and the meaning of life. Drawing from the most important thinkers from Greece and Rome, Pigliucci weaves a wide variety of philosophical ideas into a clearly drawn roadmap for living well
Massimo Pigliucci has written a highly original and hopeful book about the philosophical ideas of Cicero. In a disarmingly personal style he makes a convincing case for why all of us would do well to think and live more like Cicero today, offering the reader hands on advice on how to do so along the way. A thoroughly enjoyable read!
Massimo Pigliucci came to Cicero through a divorce, a midlife crisis, and a long tour through different philosophical doctrines. In reading the works of the Roman orator he found a philosophy that takes doubt seriously and treats uncertainty as a starting point rather than a problem. . . . Pigliucci's accessible readings make him a reliable and eloquent guide for anyone thinking seriously about how to live
Pigliucci, the master of bringing ancient wisdom to modern times, does it again, telling how Cicero wielded a wise form of skepticism in pursuit of justice amid rising dictatorship