17
votes
What's the point of this quote from Seneca (Stoicism)?
If I am to ever live a virtuous and happy life, I need to walk the paths even if there are potential perils, since if I concentrate on and spend my time dealing with pondering these perils (no matter ...
- 13.5k
9
votes
Accepted
How can I understand references in Seneca's Moral letters to Lucilius?
These are standard abbreviations in classical scholarship. N.Q. is Seneca's Naturales quaestiones, Ep./Epp. are the very Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium you are reading (respectively, singular/plural), ...
- 42.5k
9
votes
What's the point of this quote from Seneca (Stoicism)?
To use the terminology of modern economics, Seneca was distinguishing between stated preferences and revealed preferences. Many people tell others and even tell themselves that they desire certain ...
- 221
8
votes
Accepted
What would be the implications if the equality of opposites was true?
Did Heraclitus believe in the identity of opposites? I do not think so. He is popularly quoted as having said,
No man ever steps in the same river twice.
But what he actually said is quite ...
- 1,454
7
votes
Can a beginner in Philosophy understand the following books?
It's arguably not possible to "fully" understand any great work of philosophy. In the Platonic tradition, in fact, the general assumption is that you are being pointed in the direction of things that ...
- 27.2k
7
votes
Accepted
Enchiridion, 16: Does a stoic moan, or not?
TL;DR
The Stoic way includes empathetic reactions, i.e. groaning/moaning outwardly, in moments of shock. Both because it is a natural reaction even the perfect sage cannot help against and because he ...
- 13.5k
6
votes
Accepted
Stoic Aphorisms?
It depends on your challenges. For instance, if you find it really tough to put up with other people, then your set of useful aphorisms would differ than if you were really attached to the opinions ...
- 1,800
5
votes
Accepted
What does Marcus Aurelius mean by quoting Plato here?
In my copy* of Meditations the quote reads:
Let this always be plain to you, that this piece of land is like any other; and that what is here is the same as what is on top of a mountain, or on ...
- 2,401
5
votes
Can a beginner in Philosophy understand the following books?
Pythagoras the basis of philosophy? No way. For one thing, nothing he wrote has survived, and the stories his followers told are clouded by myths and legends. In terms of actual ideas, Pythagoras may ...
5
votes
Source for (Stoic?) quote on death/(im)mortality
Your quote is attributed to the Greek general Xenophon. It's written in "Lives of Eminent Philosophers" by Diogenes Laërtius:
In this battle Epaminondas also fell. On this occasion Xenophon is said ...
- 51
5
votes
Why is self-control good?
Time Contraints
A primary context for self control is time frame. A thing that may give pleasure right now will sometimes be less than optimal over the longer term. Examples abound.
Eating too much.
...
- 1,517
4
votes
Marcus Aurelius on Books
Why do you suppose he says this, and does he want us to thirst to read his book?
Answering the second part first, no, he doesn't want us to thirst to read his book. The Meditations weren't written as ...
- 239
4
votes
Accepted
Similarities between Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life and Stoicism
I can't really answer your question definitively being neither a deep expert in stoicism nor in Peterson's thought (I've done one graduate course on hellenistic philosophy and I've seen some of ...
- 24.6k
4
votes
How does Stoicism deal with human interdependence?
Stoicism adopts a theory of oikeiosis, the root desire of all animals, human beings included, for self-preservation. An individual human being is, however, not only an animal but also a rational being....
- 35.4k
4
votes
Accepted
wisdom vs thoughts vs meditations of marcus aurelius
The writings of Marcus Aurelius, commonly called the Meditations, didn't actually have a title given by the author himself because it was never intended to be published or even read by other people. ...
- 815
4
votes
Should happiness be attained by reforming the world around us for the better or by accepting it as it is?
Definitely do not accept it as it is. It is the most destructive force our planet has ever seen.
To live rightly, you should follow these maxims:
Seek Truth,
Protect Beauty,
Fight for Justice, and
...
- 739
3
votes
Is Kant's idea of imperatives derived from stoicism?
This citation may wel be related to Kant. However, Kant is so embeded in the history of thought that this one citation is not enough to point to a real correlation. One has to know about the way ...
- 49
3
votes
Accepted
How did the idea of fate arise?
The idea predates Stoics and is rooted in Greek mythology, the three Moirai ("apportioners"), goddesses of Fate, weave everybody's thread of life, and cut it, so that the nature may take its course ...
- 42.5k
3
votes
Stoicism: How can you be calm and uncaring and rush to do your best at the same time?
I have noticed that I also do not seem to try hard to do certain things or at least, I don't put in that hurried energy to get things done like I used to.
tl;dr: If that's how you experience Stoicism,...
- 131
3
votes
The meaning behind Seneca's quote
Lucius Annaeus Seneca (ca.1 BCE – 65 AD)'s quote is from De Consolatione ad Marciam ("On Consolation to Marcia", written around 40 AD) :
this Consolation is constructed in the Consolatio ...
- 36.2k
3
votes
Accepted
What are some of the most effective arguments against stoicism?
The arguments against Stoicism that are effective for me, are that the Stoic virtues of rationality, and prudence about their physical existence, fail to capture the values that matter more in this ...
- 10.6k
3
votes
Accepted
Is stoicism still relevant in modern world?
For many people today, it seems so! I'm not much into Stoicism myself, but I am always surprised when I use "philosophy" as a search term in, say, book markets, to see how much Stoicism pops ...
- 13.4k
3
votes
Are there any stoic suggestions around dealing with unneeded hard truths and happy unknowing minds?
This is not only about belief and ethics. It is also about personal relationships. And not only between you and the person who is happy to use sausages without knowing how they work, but of a variety ...
- 995
2
votes
Can a beginner in Philosophy understand the following books?
You will definitely be able to understand those pieces of literature if you have an advanced comprehension of the english language. Without that, the books will seem as if there are no words. You need ...
- 288
2
votes
Are Hellenistic schools of philosophy also therapeutic regimes?
I think this is fairly accurate, but must be seen in view of the complex evolution and differentiation of what we now call disciplines.
The logical-sophistical side of philosophy drew upon the ...
- 13.4k
2
votes
What are the key differences between Plato's Republic and Zeno's?
▻ THE TEXT
It is true that the text of Zeno's 'Politeia' has been lost but there is a large collection of surviving fragments to be found in Diogenes Laertius, Philodemus, Clement of Alexandria, St ...
- 35.4k
2
votes
What does Epictetus mean when he says "it is better for your slave to be bad than for you to be unhappy"?
I think if we try to take this statement in the modern context, we could interpret Epictetus as saying that it is better for you to let the little things slide than to become perturbed about them. ...
- 21
2
votes
Accepted
What is the causal connection between virtues and eudaimonea in virtue ethics?
I'm going to suggest three things that might be contributing to the problem you're identifying.
First due to the long course of history, the meaning of arete (translated as "virtue") in Aristotle is ...
- 24.6k
2
votes
Can a beginner in Philosophy understand the following books?
Nietzsche may seem "easy" at first glance but actually he is difficult. You may get an idea of philosophical skepticism applied to morality by reading his works. Nietzsche is a double-edge knife. You ...
- 1,324
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