The Stoic Approach to Life

AGENDA

1. Quiz Friday (tab)
2. Presentations
3. Aristotle recap
4. Stoicism

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Aristotle recap

Supreme good = eudaimonia (happiness) = uniquely human life = virtue (plus external goods)

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Stoicism 

1. One of the many schools of philosophy after Aristotle
2. Stoicism popular for 500 years and beyond
3. Other famous Stoics: Cicero, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius
4. Epictetus-- writing around 100 CE -- a popularizer of Stoic ideas
5. Stoicism today -- The Daily Stoic
6. Stoic meet-ups today

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Stoicism, compared to Aristotle

1. Both say
• main question of ethics is about the good life
• chief good is eudaimonia
• eudaimonia achieved through virtue
2. Stoics only
• only four virtues: wisdom, courage, moderation, justice
• we have no need for external goods
• this is clearer in other writings of other Stoics -- e.g. see here
• practical orientation -- Epictetus is giving advice

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The Handbook of Epictetus (pdfshared during class)

Goal is to help you cope with external ups and downs so you can focus just on what really matters (your own virtue)

GENERAL ADVICE

1 & 2

UP TO US -- our opinions, impulses, desires, aversions; whatever is our doing 

• NATURAL (should care, should pursue)
• AGAINST NATURE (should care, should avoid)

NOT UP TO US -- our bodies, possessions, reputations, public offices; whatever is not our doing (Beginners: totally stop caring! don't desire/avoid!)

5. "What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things." read the rest, apply

6. "Do not be joyful about any superiority that is not your own." read the rest, apply

8. "Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well."

10. "At each thing that happens to you, remember to turn to yourself and ask what capacity you have for dealing with it." read the rest, apply

15. "Remember, you must behave as you do at a banquet." read the rest

17. "Remember that you are an actor in a play...." read the rest

19. "You can be invincible if you do not enter any contest in which victory is not up to you." 

20. Read

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SPECIFIC SITUATIONS

everyday annoyances 

    4 baths

    12 spilled oil, slave boy

    20  abusive person 

death 

    3 fond of A jug, kissing A human being

    5 death is nothing dreadful

    11 we don't lose people, we give them back

    14 foolish to want things that are not up to you

    16 when other people are grieving

illness and disability 

    9 illness interferes just with the body

envy, competitiveness 

    24 not being invited to banquet

    25 not receiving honors