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Stoicism
I have gained a lot from reading Stoic writing.
The historic impact of Stoicism on intellectuals across disciplines cannot be underestimated. Stoicism (specifically Epictetus) deeply inspired Albert Ellis, the father of Rational Emotive Behavior Theory which is an early form of Cognitive Behavioral Theory. Nelson Mandela has said that reading Marcus Aurelius's Meditations helped him while in prison. Descartes, mirroring Stoic (and Epicurean) writers believed philosophy's chief purpose was to (from SEP's entry on Descartes Ethics):
In agreement with the ancients, he takes philosophy’s practical goal to be the realization of a happy life: one in which we enjoy the best existence that a human being can hope to achieve. Descartes characterizes this life in terms of a type of mental contentment, or tranquility, that is experienced by the person with a well-ordered mind. Here the influence of Stoic and Epicurean writers is evident (Cottingham 1998; Gueroult 1985; Pereboom 1994). In keeping with a central theme of Hellenistic ethics, Descartes likens philosophy to a form of therapy that can treat the mind’s illnesses (those that stand in the way of its happiness), just as medicine treats the illnesses of the body.
An extreme example of Stoicism in practice is that of James Stockdale, a pilot flying missions in Vietnam. He was shot down, and having studied philosophy at Stanford new surviving isolation and torture meant embracing Stoic values:
After ejection I had about 30 seconds to make my last statement in freedom before I landed on the main street of that little village right ahead. And so help me, I whispered to myself: ‘Five years down there at the least. I’m leaving the world of technology and entering the world of Epictetus.'
Marcus's response to Cassius's betrayal
"There is only one thing I fear, fellow-soldiers, for you shall be told the whole truth, — and that is, that either he will kill himself because ashamed to come into our presence or that someone else will do so upon learning that I am to come and am already setting out against him. For then I should be deprived of a great prize both of war and of victory, a prize such as no human being has ever yet obtained. And what is this prize? To forgive a man who has wronged one, to remain a friend to one who has transgressed friendship, to continue faithful to one who has broken faith. Perhaps all this seems incredible to you, but you ought not to disbelieve it; for surely all goodness has not yet entirely perished from among men, but there is still in us a remnant of the ancient virtue. And if anyone should disbelieve it, that but renders the more ardent my desire, in order that men may see accomplished what no one would believe could come to pass. For that would be the one profit I could derive from our present ills, if I could settle this affair well and show to all mankind that there is a right way to deal even with civil wars."
Epictetus was a 2nd century slave turned philosopher/teacher.
Speaking about not getting angry at slaves (Enchiridion, 12.2):
Starting with things of little value—a bit of spilled oil, a little stolen wine—repeat to yourself: ‘For such a small price, I buy tranquillity.’
From Enchiridion, 5:
it is not events that disturb people, it is their judgments concerning them.
Massimo Pigliucci on What the Stoics did for us.
Elizabeth Colbert on Seneca.
Elif Batuman on How to be a Stoic.
Massimo Pigliucci on his new book. Emphasizes "live according to nature". There are some nice quotes from the blog post on Stoicism in modern society below.
The Stoic bet, in other words, is that once you’re on your deathbed, you won’t be looking back at your life and think: “if only I had accumulated a bit more money!” More likely, you will want to think -- and you will, if you acted virtuously: “I’ve been a decent human being, and my friends and family loved me.”
Includes a nice quote from Epictetus:
When you are about to take something in hand, remind yourself what manner of thing it is. If you are going to bathe put before your mind what happens in the bath—water pouring over some, others being jostled, some reviling, others stealing; and you will set to work more securely if you say to yourself at once: ‘I want to bathe, and I want to keep my will in harmony with nature,’ and so in each thing you do; for in this way, if anything turns up to hinder you in your bathing, you will be ready to say, ‘I did not want only to bathe, but to keep my will in harmony with nature, and I shall not so keep it, if I lose my temper at what happens.’
Make it your study then to confront every harsh impression with the words, ‘You are but an impression, and not at all what you seem to be.’ Then test it by those rules that you possess; and first by this—the chief test of all—’Is it concerned with what is in our power or with what is not in our power?’ And if it is concerned with what is not in our power, be ready with the answer that it is nothing to you.