Skip to main content

Questions tagged [stoicism]

an ancient Greek school of philosophy founded at Athens by Zeno of Citium. The school taught that virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge, and that the wise live in harmony with the divine Reason (also identified with Fate and Providence) that governs nature, and are indifferent to the vicissitudes of fortune and to pleasure and pain.

5 votes
1 answer
307 views

Implementing stoicism in daily life

In the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius there is a quote: "Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and ...
Tim Davis's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
54 views

Fate vs Destiny. Is the difference in fixed vs fluid facets of life?

Speaking in terms of computer language, can we describe 'Fate' as some kind of 'default', something static, that existed independently and will always be there? And 'Destiny', on the other hand, is ...
TheMatrix Equation-balance's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
101 views

Seneca's take on suicide [closed]

I stumbled on this article which discusses Seneca's view on suicide. I must admit, I'm a bit disappointed by Seneca's view on suicide, even though I am still a huge fan of Stoicism. While many Stoic ...
Jake Hall's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
156 views

What did Marcus Aurelius mean in Book II Verse VI

I am confused by the first part in the statement made by Marcus Aurelius in his book meditations (Book II, Verse VI) Do wrong to thyself, do wrong to thyself, my soul; but thou wilt no longer have ...
Kamola's user avatar
  • 175
0 votes
2 answers
125 views

What is stoicism and how to understand it

I went through the word stoic recently and found that stoicism is a philosophy. I want to learn more about this stoicism. Can anyone refer me with some good material and help me in understanding more ...
Kotana Sai's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
137 views

What did Marcus Aurelius mean when he said, ". . . we can learn how man has contact with God"?

This is from Book 2, Meditation 12 (Maxwell Staniforth's translation): We should apprehend, too, the nature of death; and that if only it be steadily contemplated, and the fancies we associate with ...
Gerry's user avatar
  • 719
4 votes
2 answers
429 views

Do the stoics really believe it makes no difference how someone else behaves or is that a vulgar and mistaken guess?

Do the stoics really believe it makes no difference how someone else behaves or is that a vulgar and mistaken guess? It seems to matter very much, even if we give up on status etc..
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
69 views

Do the Stoic virtues have any order of ethical importance?

Do the Stoic virtues (wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation) have a specific order of ethical importance? If there is a order of ethical importance, then is there any specific reasoning to that ...
vasili111's user avatar
  • 121
2 votes
3 answers
949 views

There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so. Are these words of Shakespeare,inspired by Marcus Aurelius, true?

This question is not about ethics. It is about our perceptions of positive and negative value. I take the original meaning of the great emperor to be that we have control only of our own thinking, and ...
Meanach's user avatar
  • 2,341
1 vote
0 answers
67 views

Is there a standard, modern reference on Stoicism?

What I'm wondering is if there are any well known, modern references (books) that summarize the history and philosophy of Stoicism, preferably written in the past 50 years or so. The more modern the ...
Cdn_Dev's user avatar
  • 1,058
0 votes
0 answers
22 views

What are the main elements of Stoicism? [duplicate]

My question is this: What are the main elements of Stoicism? As a secondary question, it would also be nice to know how Epicureanism compares to or contrasts with Stoicism. Primary source material ...
Epimanes's user avatar
  • 101
4 votes
1 answer
117 views

What is "what we can or can't control" in stoicism?

Stoics, as a rule, shouldn't be psychologically affected by what they don't have any control over. But what kind of control are we talking about? I do not have any control over the weather, therefore ...
Alex.J.R Butterfly's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
51 views

How Can I grow from this? [closed]

Everything that's unpleasant makes me upset, I know that's the sign of weakness. How can I master my emotions? How can I grow from this?
Orn's user avatar
  • 21
3 votes
2 answers
138 views

Hegelian dialectic to transcend Stoic vs Nietzsche?

I would like to apply Hegel's dialectic to the following thesis/antithesis and that you help me find sublimating synthesis ideas. Here is the thesis: "to live a happy life, you must accept your ...
mellow's user avatar
  • 141
3 votes
4 answers
185 views

Are there any stoic suggestions around dealing with unneeded hard truths and happy unknowing minds?

Say I really liked sausage, one day decided to learn how it was made, and came out disgusted though not morally opposed. Later, someone is telling me they really like sausage. They are happy liking ...
Seph Reed's user avatar
  • 131

15 30 50 per page
1
2 3 4 5 6