How to Be a (Happy) Skeptic: The Power of Doubt in a Meaningful Life--Lessons from Cicero's Philosophy

by Massimo Pigliucci

Genres: Philosophy

352 pages, Hardcover

Published June 16, 2026

About the author

Massimo Pigliucci is an author, blogger, podcaster, as well as the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York.

His academic work is in evolutionary biology, philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophy. His books include How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (Basic Books) and Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk (University of Chicago Press).

His new book is How to Be a (Happy) Skeptic: The Power of Doubt in a Meaningful Life (Penguin).

Reviews

[Tekin Mentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regarding stoicism, I preferred Massimo above all others. I completed this book rapidly, even though I was still engaged in reading one of his other works.
If you want a philosophy book that actually treats you like an adult, read Massimo Pigliucci’s, How to Be a Happy Skeptic. Love his style, he bridges the gap between deep academic philosophy and real life without any of the self-help fluff.

[Sibongile Matema · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do we know what we think we know?
Cicero, as an academic skeptic, advanced the view that we ought to choose and, where necessary, modify our beliefs, based on the evidence we have for their being true.
The practice of assessing our beliefs and examining the evidence we have for them can lay the foundation for a more general attitude of enquiry.
A significant line of thought toward which we can carry out our enquiry is: what should our efforts in life be directed towards (telos)?
To Cicero, an important part of living well lies in consistently fulfilling one’s duties.
The roles we play in life imply social ties that can be strengthened by care for and concern towards others. Cicero agreed with the Stoics that working towards the benefit of society at large also brings about what is good for oneself as an individual.
Through this book, Massimo shows how Cicero - whether fighting for justice, upholding reason, or facing grief - persistently lived according to the principles in which he believed.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly helped me appreciate Cicero and his contributions to skepticism. The use of historical anecdotes to illustrate points, but the relevance was harder for me to appreciate without culturally relevant context. Pigliucci mentions that this is intentional as he did not want to use current individuals and situations as examples as they are certain to come with separate biases and perspectives. I can certainly appreciate that, and it makes sense.

Regardless, some of the key lessons in here are invaluable. Questioning how you know something, and the confidence you have in the knowledge is something more people should do.