This week, we’re going to take a look at Stoicism, an ancient philosophy focused on living a good life, with a strict set of rules on how to get there.
Understanding Stoicism: Stoicism is the belief that following virtues, specifically the four virtues; wisdom, justice, temperance, and courage lead to a well-lived life.
Wisdom: In stoicism, wisdom is the knowledge of what is good and evil, and what is indifferent.
Justice: Justice, in stoicism, is the application of your learned wisdom, or the knowledge of right and wrong, in your own lives.
Temperance: Temperance is a large part of stoicism, it involves only seeking what is necessary in life in order to stay fulfilled. If you don’t seek more, than you will be satisfied with what you have.
Courage: Courage, is the ability to stick to your path of stoicism even in the face of adversity.
Opponents to Stoicism: Since Stoicism believes that you must follow the 4 virtues to have a well-lived life, any philosophies that don’t believe in a path, or set of rules for life oppose stoicism; these include Objectivism, and Nihilism. Opponents to stoicism also argue that the definitions of good and evil are not well enough defined.
Philosophical Applications: Stoicism encourages you to view the world through a certain lens, leaving little room for interpretation. This may close your worldview and lead to hasty judgements. But it may also simplify it, allowing you to live a life full of satisfaction, for knowing your goals are half the battle.
Real World Applications: Stoicism is very similar to the way that many people are raised; “Do what is right, and abhor what is wrong.”. In our current society, living life with a strict adherence to rules, and devoid of material want, could for many be a rather fulfilling way of viewing the world.
I hope this delve into stoicism was informative. I took a break last week, but should will be back to my regular schedule for the foreseeable future. As always
Stay Curious,
-J.P
How does stoicism define right and wrong or is it just that, right and wrong.