TIP765: WHAT THE WORLD’S GREAT PHILOSOPHERS CAN STILL TEACH US ABOUT WEALTH AND WISDOM

W/ KYLE GRIEVE

TIP765: WHAT THE WORLD’S GREAT PHILOSOPHERS CAN STILL TEACH US ABOUT WEALTH AND WISDOM W/ KYLE GRIEVE

01 November 2025

On today’s episode, Kyle Grieve discusses how timeless philosophical ideas can deepen our understanding of investing and life. He explores lessons from thinkers such as Spinoza, Nietzsche, Hume, and Pascal to reveal how concepts like persistence, skepticism, and luck shape decision-making. Kyle also connects these ideas to modern investing by drawing on insights from Buffett, Voltaire, and Bruce Lee, showing how adaptability, emotional control, and inner reflection lead to better outcomes.

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IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:

  • How Spinoza’s idea of eternity can guide timeless investing decisions
  • The power of persistence and what conatus teaches us about successful businesses
  • Why emotional self-mastery may be your greatest investing edge
  • What Nietzsche and Buffett reveal about living with integrity in finance and life
  • How Hume’s healthy skepticism leads to sharper questions and wiser decisions
  • What Voltaire can teach us about challenging the Efficient Market Hypothesis
  • How Blaise Pascal’s wild luck swings illuminate the role of chance in investing
  • Why William James’s pragmatism can ground abstract financial ideas in reality
  • How market simulations and symbols can distort or enhance our understanding
  • What Bruce Lee’s Be Water mindset reveals about adaptability in investing
  • And so much more!

TRANSCRIPT

Disclaimer: The transcript that follows has been generated using artificial intelligence. We strive to be as accurate as possible, but minor errors and slightly off timestamps may be present due to platform differences.

 

[00:00:00] Kyle Grieve: Have you ever wondered what the world’s greatest philosophers can teach us about the stock market? Because the truth is investing isn’t just numbers, models, or financial statements. It’s about how we think. It’s about how we make decisions under uncertainty, how we manage our emotions, and even how we define success in the first place.

[00:00:18] Kyle Grieve: Spinoza once said that to understand something truly we must say it in the aspect of eternity. When we apply that to investing, it reminds us to simply zoom out, stop obsessing over daily price moves and start to focus on enduring value. Need to challenge us to act with integrity, to do what’s right even when it’s unpopular.

[00:00:36] Kyle Grieve: A philosophy that Warren Buffett has echoed for decades and David Hume’s idea on healthy skepticism. They’re the perfect antidote to the herd mentality and emotional investing that have plagued investors for decades. We’ll also explore Blaise Pascal’s lessons on luck, how fortunes can change in an absolute instant.

[00:00:53] Kyle Grieve: Why humility might be the most underrated skill in finance. You’ll learn how Voltaire’s critique of blind optimism applies to the efficient market hypothesis and how William James philosophy of pragmatism can help us separate what’s useful from what’s merely theoretical. We’ll even connect these ideas to the modern investing world from how simulations and market narratives can either empower or mislead us to why Bruce Lee’s Be Water Mindset can be the single best framework for adapting to changing markets.

[00:01:22] Kyle Grieve: By the end of this episode, you’ll see how philosophy can sharpen your thinking, calm your emotions, and bring clarity to your investing process, helping you not only make better decisions, but live and invest with more purpose. If you’ve ever felt that investing is more than just chasing returns, if you’ve ever wanted to understand the deeper forces that are driving your choices, beliefs, and decision making, then this episode is for you.

[00:01:45] Kyle Grieve: Now, let’s get into this week’s episode and what the great philosophers can teach us about the markets and life.

[00:01:53] Intro: Since 2014 and through more than 180 million downloads, we’ve studied the financial markets and read the books that influence self-made billionaires the most. We keep you informed and prepared for the unexpected. Now for your host, Kyle Grieve.

[00:02:18] Kyle Grieve: Welcome to The Investor’s Podcast. I’m your host, Kyle Grieve, and today we’re going to discuss a topic that isn’t particularly heavily discussed in most investing circles, and that’s a topic of philosophy. So to better help us understand the interplay of philosophy and investing, we’re going to be examining the book, The Investment Philosophers by Ethan Everett, who did an absolutely terrific job of showing just how many lessons can be drawn from philosophy to help us think about investing in different, more beneficial ways.

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