Jacob Needleman is a professor of philosophy at San Francisco State University. He is the author of many books on soul, philosophy, the world's religions, and the meaning of life. He was featured on Bill Moyers's acclaimed PBS series A World of Ideas. In addition to his teaching and writing, Needleman serves as a consultant in the fields of psychology, education, medical ethics, philanthropy, and business. We've reviewed many of his books and have profiled him in the Living Spiritual Teachers Project.

In this collection of six talks, Needleman converses with D. Patrick Miller, a leading writer in the journalism of consciousness and founder of Fearless Books. Whereas many established writers have no qualms about giving answers and solutions to the troubling questions of our times, that is not the way of this philosopher. He states: "Such great questions cannot be answered with the part of the mind that solves problems. They need to be deeply felt and experienced long, long before they can begin to be answered."

Needleman's Socratic methodology works well in these conversations. Among the many subjects covered are the New Age, the hatred of the body, the condemnation of material by Puritans of all stripes, why Spock from the original Star War series is such "a lasting and beloved icon," the goodness that comes from having a strong inner life, the importance of the spiritual study of money, the troublesome crimes of America, the quest for happiness, the limitations of self-help, the need for philosophy, and the love of wisdom. Needleman's probes enable us to reflect upon ideas and then come up with our own answers.