The Quest for Character

# Massimo Pigliucci

I have a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Connecticut and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee. I am currently the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. My research interests include the philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophies like Stoicism and New Skepticism.

I have been elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science “for fundamental studies of genotype by environmental interactions and for public defense of evolutionary biology from pseudo-scientific attack.”

In the area of public outreach, I have published in national and international outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, among others. I am a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and a Contributing Editor to Skeptical Inquirer. I write on practical and general philosophy on Substack.

At last count, I have published 178 technical papers in science and philosophy. I am also the author or editor of 16 books, including the best selling How to Be A Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (Basic Books). Other titles include Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk (University of Chicago Press), and the most recent The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders (Basic Books).

Active sites:

• Figs in Winter, my Substack newsletter.
• My PhilPapers profile, where you will find links to my technical papers.
• My professional page at the City College of New York.
• Philosophy Day at CUNY-City College, which I have organized since 2014.

Books
The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders
Think like a Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World
A Field Guide to a Happy Life: 53 Brief Lessons for Living
How to Live a Good Life: A Guide to Choosing Your Personal Philosophy of Life,
A Handbook for New Stoics: How to Thrive in a World Out of Your Control,
Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk
and more Books ...