Topics in Stoic Philosophy


Book Description

Stoicism (third century BC to second century AD) is one of the richest and most influential intellectual traditions of antiquity. Leading scholars here contribute new studies of a set of topics which are the focus of current research in this area. They combine careful analytical attention tothe original texts with historical sensitivity and philosophical acuity, to provide the basis for a better understanding of Stoic ethics, political theory, logic, and physics. Whereas till recently the study of Hellenistic philosophy has been mainly a historical enterprise, these essays demonstratethat a proper treatment of Stoicism engages us in philosophical questions of considerable current relevance and interest.




The Daily Stoic


Book Description

From the team that brought you The Obstacle Is the Way and Ego Is the Enemy, a daily devotional of Stoic meditations—an instant Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller. Why have history's greatest minds—from George Washington to Frederick the Great to Ralph Waldo Emerson, along with today's top performers from Super Bowl-winning football coaches to CEOs and celebrities—embraced the wisdom of the ancient Stoics? Because they realize that the most valuable wisdom is timeless and that philosophy is for living a better life, not a classroom exercise. The Daily Stoic offers 366 days of Stoic insights and exercises, featuring all-new translations from the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the playwright Seneca, or slave-turned-philosopher Epictetus, as well as lesser-known luminaries like Zeno, Cleanthes, and Musonius Rufus. Every day of the year you'll find one of their pithy, powerful quotations, as well as historical anecdotes, provocative commentary, and a helpful glossary of Greek terms. By following these teachings over the course of a year (and, indeed, for years to come) you'll find the serenity, self-knowledge, and resilience you need to live well.




Determinism and Freedom in Stoic Philosophy


Book Description

Determinism and Freedom in Stoic Philosophy is the first comprehensive study of one of the most important intellectual legacies of the ancient Greek world: the Stoic theory of causal determinism. The book identifies the main problems that the Stoics addressed and reconstructs the theory, and explores how they squared their determinism with their conceptions of possibility, action, freedom, and moral responsibility, and how they defended it against objections and criticism by other philosophers. It shows how the Stoics distinguished their causal determinism from ancient theories of logical determinism, fatalism, and necessitarianism. Along the way an authoritative account is given of many other related aspects of Stoic thought, including their views on the predictability of the future, the role of empirical sciences, the determination of character, and moral freedom. Bobzien's study of these central doctrines of Stoicism reveals the considerable philosphical richness and power that they retain today.




Tranquility Parenting


Book Description

Parenting is stressful. For many parents, who are always busy, usually tired, and probably not trained in dealing with children, the words “tranquility” and “parenting” do not go together. Don’t you just wish there was some technique out there that could help you become calm, content, and confident parent? Something that you could have on hand all the time to help you through your most challenging situations and stressful days? Well, there is something, and it comes from a wisdom tradition that has been helping people through difficult situations for about 2300 years. The psychological techniques developed by ancient Stoics have recently been rediscovered, and Stoicism is enjoying a renaissance among people from all walks of life who are looking for fulfillment, tranquility, and yes, the meaning of life. Modern Stoicism has straightforward answers to all these questions, as well as practical techniques for achieving eudaimonia (the Greek word for “human flourishing”). Stoicism encourages everyone to think things through for themselves and use their own capacity for reason and goodness. And once you learn the basic principles of Stoicism, you can apply them all the time, in any situation. Tranquility Parenting describes how Brittany Polat discovered modern Stoicism and what it can offer to stressed-out parents of the 21st century. As a mother of three young children, Polat used to constantly doubt her parenting abilities. She felt anxious, frustrated, and guilty about her perceived failings as a parent. Now, as a practicing Stoic, she gained the confidence and calm she was craving and has more energy to be fully engaged and happy with them. What will this book do for you? It will not tell you how to potty train your child, but it will tell you how to enjoy the time you spend potty training your child. It will not tell you how to monitor your teen on social media, but it will show you how to use practical wisdom to make decisions about media consumption. It will not tell you how to make your kids eat vegetables, but it will explain how to be present and engaged while you are teaching your kids to eat vegetables. So if you are willing to invest time and energy in applying Stoic insights, you may find that tranquility parenting is not only possible, but truly the best option for you and your family.




Stoic Warriors


Book Description

Stoic Warriors explores the relationship between soldiers and Stoic philosophy, exploring what Stoicism actually is, the role it plays in the character of the military (both ancient and modern), and its powerful value as a philosophy of life. Marshalling anecdotes from military history--ranging from ancient Greek wars to World War II, Vietnam, and Iraq--Sherman illuminates the military mind and uses it as a window on the virtues of the Stoic philosophy. Indeed this is a perceptive investigation of what makes Stoicism so compelling not only as a guiding principle for the military, but as a philosophy for anyone facing the hardships of life.




The Daily Stoic Journal


Book Description

A beautiful daily journal to lead your journey in the art of living--and an instant WSJ bestseller! For more than two thousand years, Stoic philosophy has been the secret operating system of wise leaders, artists, athletes, brilliant thinkers, and ordinary citizens. With the acclaimed, bestselling books The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy and The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman have helped to bring the Stoicism of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus to hundreds of thousands of new readers all over the world. Now Holiday and Hanselman are back with The Daily Stoic Journal, a beautifully designed hardcover journal that features space for morning and evening notes, along with advice for integrating this ancient philosophy into our 21st century lives. Each week readers will discover a specific powerful Stoic practice, explained and presented with related quotations to inspire deeper reflection and application, and each day they will answer a powerful question to help gauge their progress. Created with a durable, Smyth-sewn binding and featuring a helpful introduction explaining the various Stoic tools of self-management, as well as resources for further reading, this is a lasting companion volume for people who already love The Daily Stoic and its popular daily emails and social media accounts. It can also be used as a stand-alone journal, even if you haven’t read the previous books. For anyone seeking inner peace, clarity, and effectiveness in our crazy world, this book will help them immensely for the next year—and for the rest of their lives.




Stoic Ethics


Book Description

Soon after Aristotle's death, several schools of ancient philosophy arose, each addressing the practical question of how to live a good, happy life. The two biggest rivals, Stoicism and Epicureanism, came to dominate the philosophical landscape for the next 500 years. Epicureans advised pursuing pleasure to be happy, and Stoics held that true happiness could only be achieved by living according to nature, which required accepting what happens and fulfilling one's roles. Stoicism, more than Epicureanism, attracted followers from many different walks of life: slaves, laborers, statesmen, intellectuals, and an emperor. The lasting impact of these philosophies is seen from the fact that even today 'Stoic' and 'Epicurean' are household words. Although very little of the writings of the early Stoics survive, our knowledge of Stoicism comes largely from a few later Stoics. In this unique book, William O. Stephens explores the moral philosophy of Epictetus, a former Roman slave and dynamic Stoic teacher whose teachings are the most compelling defense of ancient Stoicism that exists. Epictetus' philosophy dramatically captures the spirit of Stoicism by examining and remedying our greatest human disappointments, such as the death of a loved one. Stephens shows how, for Epictetus, happiness results from focusing our concern on what is up to us while not worrying about what is beyond our control. He concludes that the strength of Epictetus' thought lies in his conception of happiness as freedom from fear, worry, grief, and dependence upon luck.




The Practicing Stoic


Book Description

The most helpful and practical philosophy ever devised. The advice the Stoics provided centuries ago is still the best anyone has offered and it's as useful today as it was then-or more. Stoicism means knowing the difference between what we can control and what we can't, and not worrying about the latter. The Stoics were masters of perspective, always taking the long view while remembering that life is short. And they were deep and insightful students of human nature, understanding how we manage to make ourselves miserable as well as how we seek and can find fulfillment. The great insights of the Stoics are spread over a wide range of ancient sources. Ward Farnsworth brings them all together and systematically presents what the various Stoic philosophers said on every important topic, accompanied by an eloquent commentary that is clear and concise. The result is a set of philosophy lessons for everyone-the most valuable wisdom of ages past made available for our times.




The Stoic Doctrine of Providence


Book Description

The Stoic Doctrine of Providence attempts to reconstruct the Stoic doctrine of providence (as argued for in ancient texts now lost) and explain its many fascinating philosophical issues. Examining issues such as the compatibility between good and evil, and how a provident god can serve as model of political leadership, this is the first monograph of its kind to focus on the question of Stoic providence. It offers an in-depth study of the meaning and importance of this topic in eight distinct generations of Stoics, from Zeno of Citium (fourth century B.C.) to Panaetius of Rhodes (second century B.C.) to Marcus Aurelius (second century A.D.). The Stoic Doctrine of Providence is key reading for anyone interested in Ancient Stoicism or the study of divine providence in a philosophical setting.




Stoic Studies


Book Description

"Long's discussions enjoy consistently thorough contextualization; psychology cannot be understood without natural philosophy, nor dialectic without ethics, and Long's case studies show both that and how that is the case, in persuasive detail and with enviable clarity. The pieces fall into three subject areas: intellectual and cultural inheritance, ethics, and psychology."—Catherine Atherton, New College, Oxford "A. A. Long's Stoic Studies does far more than bring together a set of important papers on Stoicism. Read together, the papers in this collection paint two pictures. One is of the author and his broad-minded pursuit of an intellectual 'fascination,' a pursuit carried out with historical and literary rigour as well as considerable philosophical ingenuity. The other is of the Stoic school itself, emerging from a passion for Socratic arguments... It is a long and remarkably rich philosophical history, and Tony Long has done a very great deal to help others feel its fascination."—Brad Inwood, University of Toronto "Long writes in a lucid, engaging way, even when treating difficult subjects or referring to complex scholarly and philosophical debates. He has a special gift for combining, in thirty pages or so, an illuminating survey of a topic with at least one sustained analysis of a key text or theory. As a result, this collection has a coherence and internal development that makes it comparable with a good monograph."—Christopher Gill, University of Exeter