How to be Good?

This is a quick thank you and goodbye as we wrap up the first season of this podcast with 13 nuggets of wisdom; a piece of advice from each one of our guests.  What does it mean to be a good person? - let's see what each of our guests thought.

We’ll be back early 2023 with our next season, but for now this short episode is dedicated to everyone who has listened and supported this podcast since its launch in 2020. THANK YOU!

If you'd like to support this podcast as we develop the next season, ple...

What does it mean to be good according to a Moral Philosopher?

In this episode, I talk with Professor of Moral Philosophy, Jeff McMahan.

Jeff McMahan is Sekyra and White’s Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Oxford. He has written extensively about issues concerning harming, killing, and saving, such as war, abortion, euthanasia and the evaluation of death. He is also the co-editor of the Journal of Controversial Ideas.

In this conversation, Jeff introduces us to the plurality that exists when it comes to being good according to moral philosophy, as...

For this Bitesize Episode*, we’re taking some advice from Daoist Monk Yun Rou that “there's always a door number 3 to things”.

Whenever we find ourselves in a challenging situation or even a conflict of some kind, Monk Yun Rou suggests we look for Door #3 – a third option that is available to us when we feel limited in our choices. 

This episode is all about how considering the variety of options available to us in any given moment gives us a greater sense of freedom and helps us get more creative in how we can ma...

What does it mean to be a good person according to a Daoist Monk?

We ask Daoist Monk Yun Rou (his name means Soft Cloud) to share his opinions on being good according to the view of Daoism.

Daoism - also known as Taoism - originated in China close to 2,000 years ago, and as Monk Yun Rou describes, it centres on living in harmony with nature, and everything in existence.

Ordained as a Monk at the Chun Yang (Pure Yang) Daoist Temple in Guangzhou, China, Yun Rou is a Daoist Monk, Author and...

For this Bitesize Episode* we’re taking a few minutes to focus on judgement.

Judgement is an integral part of our everyday life; it’s about making considered decisions to come to sensible conclusions, and in many ways it’s essential to keep us safe and functioning. But, as many of our podcast guests have highlighted, when it comes to judging others and – especially judging the good, or bad, in others - we have to be careful.

This is a 7-minute reflection on judgement and the impact it has on our day-to-day happiness.

What does it mean to be a good person according to an atheist?

We ask Andy Phillips, Board Member of Atheism UK, to share his opinion on being good according to atheistic thought.

Andy hosts the Atheism UK podcast, facilitating conversations about atheism and shining a light on some of the misconceptions that often come along with the term. In this conversation, Andy talks about some of the differences between theists (those who believe in God) and atheists (those who don’t).

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it at https://ww...

What does it mean to be a good person according to Sikhism? 

We ask Sikh Human Rights Activist, Simran Singh, to share his opinions on being good according to the Sikh way of life. 

In keeping with his Sikh faith, Simran engages in human rights broadly and has a long history of working within the corporate world too. He is a lifelong Senior Fellow at the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute and a member of the Rumi Forum's Advisory Council in Washington, DC, and a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts in London.

Simran wa...

For our bitesize edition this month, we’re taking a few moments to celebrate!

Not only was our most recent interview with Humanist Jane Blackman all about the joy of celebration, but we also found out earlier this month that this podcast has made it to the finals of the International People's Choice podcast awards. 

As today is International Podcast Day, and the People’s Choice Podcast award ceremony is this evening, we’re taking a moment to celebrate. And we’re celebrating each one of our listeners. We’re so grateful for all of you listeni...

What does it mean to be a good person according to a Humanist?

We ask Humanist Jane Blackman to share her opinion on being good according to her non-religious beliefs.

Jane is an award-winning Humanist Celebrant, performing non-religious weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies and other non-religious rituals. Last year, Jane was voted best celebrant in the country – she’s based in the UK - at the 2020 Wedding Industry Awards.

As a former head teacher, Jane is passionate about education and freedom of choice. She strives to treat others and all living things with care and...

What does it mean to be a good person according to a member of the First Nations? 

We ask Melanie Goodchild, Moose Clan, to share her opinion on being good according to Indigenous teachings.

Melanie is Anishinaabe (Ojibway or Chippewa) from Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and Ketegaunseebee First Nations in northern Ontario, Canada. She is a senior indigenous research fellow and associate at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Currently studying for her PhD in social and ecological sustainability, Melanie is also the founder of the Turtle Island Institute, an Indigenous social innovation think & do tank...