The Greatest Lessons in Philosophy, Parenting, and Kindness with Scott HershovitzThe Greatest Lessons in Philosophy, Parenting, and Kindness with Scott Hershovitz
The One You Feed
Eric Zimmer and Scott Hershovitz connect philosophy with parenting, recovery, and politics, using stories about kids, dogs, and difficult debates to ask what kindness and truth really look like in daily life. The conversation highlights how anger, identity, and moral responsibility can be handled with both critical thinking and compassion.
1:07:50•24 Apr 2026
Philosophy at the Kitchen Table: Scott Hershovitz on Kids, Kindness and Hard Questions
Episode Overview
- Philosophy can be approached like a child: asking simple but serious questions and learning to examine one’s own ideas as closely as other people’s.
- Identity depends on context and purpose; the ship of Theseus puzzle mirrors how people change over time while still, in some respects, remaining the same person.
- Anger and resentment can sometimes be healthy responses that protect self-respect, just as gratitude can honour the efforts of others.
- Treating people purely as beings to be shaped or trained risks dehumanising them; reasoning with them respects their status as moral agents.
- Civil conversation about divisive issues, such as abortion or politics, requires humility, careful listening, and a shared commitment to searching for truth.
“"Sometimes being upset, being angry, feeling resentful is a way of defending yourself in the world and respecting yourself."”
What drives someone to seek a kinder, clearer way of living? This conversation between Eric Zimmer and philosopher–parent Scott Hershovitz leans right into that question, mixing big ideas with funny family stories and the occasional dog joke. Aimed at thoughtful adults who care about recovery, parenting, and becoming a better human, the chat shows how everyday moments turn into serious questions about who we are and how we treat each other.
Scott shares how his kids helped him define philosophy as "the art of thinking", and how treating your own ideas as critically as you treat other people's can keep you from drifting through life on autopilot.
You’ll hear them wrestle with identity using the classic "ship of Theseus" puzzle, then connect it to real life: childhood bullying, apologies years later, and what it means to say "I’m not the same person anymore." Eric links this to addiction and recovery, describing how his sense of choice around substances has shifted over time. There’s also a lively section on anger and gratitude.
Scott argues that "sometimes being upset, being angry, feeling resentful is a way of defending yourself in the world and respecting yourself," while still recognising the value of letting go when anger stops being helpful. Together they contrast treating people like animals to be trained (the famous "Shamu" marriage article) versus treating them as moral agents you reason with.
Politics and polarisation come up too, from kids’ comments about Donald Trump to how to talk about abortion without shouting each other down. Scott and Eric keep bringing the conversation back to kindness, humility, and the slow, shared search for truth rather than easy slogans. If you’re curious about how philosophy, parenting, recovery, and everyday decency fit together, this one might get you asking: which wolf are you feeding today?
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