We explain what Stoicism is in philosophy, its principles, and representatives. We also explain what it is in everyday life and other philosophical schools. Please read other MTV articles for more information. If you share it, it will be of little help to us.
What is Stoicism?
Stoicism is a philosophical school from the 3rd century BC that proposes a personal ethic. The Stoics of antiquity held that, although one cannot control what happens around one, one can control the way one thinks about it.
Stoicism is based on a logical system and a law of cause and effect. For the Stoics, the entire universe is a rational and understandable structure, even when this structure cannot be visualized and understood.
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According to their doctrine, people must be disciplined, self-controlled, and tolerant, employing courage and reason. Through this path (the only path that leads to true happiness), one can achieve a harmonious and virtuous life.
What does it mean to be a Stoic today?
Today, being a Stoic is synonymous with being “calm” and “cool-headed,” that is, exercising an attitude of self-control and resistance to human passions. When we say that someone took bad news “with stoicism,” we mean that they reacted with fortitude, without giving in to pain. The same can be applied to situations of joy, tension, or any other human emotion.
For example, if we imagine someone winning the lottery and communicating it calmly, we say that they did so with “absolute stoicism.” The same can be said of those who have to make important decisions and manage to do so with fortitude and rationality, without being swayed by emotions.
History of Stoicism
Stoicism was founded in Athens during the 3rd century BC by Zeno of Citium (336–264 BC), a philosopher of Phoenician origin. Among its most famous followers are Cleanthes of Assos (330–300–232 BC), Zeno’s successor, and Chrysippus of Soli (281–208 BC), Cleanthes’ disciple and an important figure in the Stoic school.
Originally known as Zenonism, Stoicism took its name from the term Stoa Poikile, which in Greek means “painted portico.” The Stoa Poikile was a portico located in the east of the city, adorned with scenes of mythical and historical battles. There Zeno met with his disciples, and for this reason they became known as Stoics.
Stoicism was very successful in ancient Greece. It is said to have had three phases: early, middle, and new Stoicism. After its beginnings in Athens, it spread to other Mediterranean populations, especially in the Roman Republic. Roman Stoicism originated there, represented by Panaetius, Posidonius, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. These authors were even better known than the Greek Stoics. More works of Roman Stoicism survive than of Greek Stoicism.
Stoicism re-emerged in the 16th century as Neo-Stoicism. Its doctrine was blended with various elements of Christianity. Its founder was the Belgian humanist Justus Lipsius (1547-1606). In 1584, he published his best-known work, De Constantia, which laid the foundations for the renewal of Stoicism.
Both classical Stoicism and Christian Stoicism, or neo-Stoicism, had a profound influence on the thinking of various modern philosophers. This can be seen especially in the work of I. Kant, G. Leibniz, B. Spinoza, A. Smith, and even J.J. Rousseau.
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Principles of Stoic Philosophy
The foundations of Stoicism can be summarized in the following points:
- Virtue is the supreme good, or virtue is the only good. This means that human beings must aspire to inner virtue. External elements such as money, success, health, or pleasure are neither good nor bad in themselves. Nor should they be confused with what is truly important: wisdom as the fundamental condition of all goods.
- Happiness, knowledge, and virtue are one and the same. Strictly speaking, goods, whether misused or well used, must be unconditional goods, and only virtue, understood as knowledge, qualifies as an unconditional good.
- The spirit must be calm, self-controlled, and disciplined to cope with misfortune or abundance. Only an attitude of indifference can lead to freedom and tranquility, thus achieving the calm known as ataraxia, the ultimate state sought.
- Human beings must imitate the universe in its balance, governed by their inner nature and not by the distractions of the world. Certain errors in thinking can generate harmful emotions, and therefore we must maintain a will close to nature, accepting things as they are, renouncing desire, fear, and ambition.
- The nature of human beings is seen in the way they act. Therefore, human beings are all equal and are part of the same family as citizens of the world.
- Luck and chance do not exist, but causality does: everything is a consequence of something else, even if it cannot be understood.
The Four Great Virtues of the Stoics
The Stoics considered the following to be great virtues:
- Practical knowledge, which allows one to handle challenging situations with a calm head.
- Temperance, to moderate and control the seduction of everyday pleasures.
- Justice, which must be exercised even in the case of injustice from others.
- Courage, both in extreme situations and in everyday life, to maintain clarity and integrity.
Stoic Ethics
Ethics was one of the great philosophical problems addressed by the Stoics. The relevance of ethical themes and problems was in dialogue with the works of Socrates, Plato, and even Aristotle.
Some of these ethical problems are:
- The explanation of why irrational decisions are made.
- The problems that accompany a lack of education in character dispositions, that is, the consequences of an excessive personality.
- Virtue, moral progress, and individual responsibility.
- The proper and truly correct actions according to strict morality.
- Happiness as the goal of life.
- Emotional states and the consequences of taking a certain course of action while in a certain emotional state.
Main Representatives of Stoicism
The main names associated with Stoicism in antiquity were the following:
Zeno of Citium (336-264 BC)
The founder of Stoicism, he was born in Citium, Cyprus, and was a disciple of Polemon, Crates of Thebes, and Stilpon of Megara. He was initially interested in the school of Cynicism. His personal doctrines formed the basis of the philosophical school. His works were lost to time, so only scattered fragments and mentions in works by others survive.
Cleanthes of Assos (330-232 BC)
He was Zeno’s main disciple, and after his teacher’s death, he led the Stoic school until his death at the age of 99.
Chrysippus of Soli (c. 281–c. 208 BC)
Considered the “second founder” of Greek Stoicism, he was its most emblematic and important figure and the father of Greek grammar in antiquity. He was a disciple of Cleanthes and is said to have also attended Plato’s Academy.
Seneca the Younger (4 BC–65 AD)
Philosopher, politician, and writer, he was an important figure in Roman politics during the reigns of Claudius and Nero. He was one of the greatest exponents of Roman Stoicism: his work is the main source of knowledge on Stoic doctrine that survives. His influence on later thinkers, both Christian and Renaissance, was enormous, along with Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius.
Epictetus (55–135 AD)
He was a Greek philosopher of the Stoic school who lived much of his life in Rome as a slave. He founded his own school in Nicopolis, and his doctrine imitated that of Socrates, so he left no written works. His thought is preserved thanks to his disciple, Flavius Arrianus.
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Examples of Stoicism in Everyday Life
Some examples of everyday life events experienced stoically are:
- A breakup, handled stoically, doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt, but rather that one experiences it by trying to think as rationally as possible and not in impulsive terms typical of emotion and pain.
- Winning a much-desired prize as a Stoic doesn’t mean feeling joy, but rather that one experiences it knowing that it is a fleeting feeling and cannot be the basis for certain decisions. Stoicism posits that, even in joy, one must keep a clear mind.
- Participating in a party, for Stoics, is an exercise in complete moderation. Pleasures and desire are useful and welcome when they lead to transcendent virtue; everything else serves only as a distraction. A Stoic will enjoy only what is just, without overindulging or losing control.
Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Skepticism
Stoicism should not be confused with other philosophical currents such as Epicureanism and Skepticism.
Epicureanism
Of Greek origin, (like Stoicism) it is a philosophical doctrine associated with hedonism and its pursuit of pleasure as the only good. Unlike other hedonistic schools, the doctrine created by Epicurus of Samos around 307 BC proposed the pursuit of pleasure through a state similar to the Stoic ataraxia: the absence of pain and fear, as well as the absence of physical pain (aponia). This state was attainable through modest and sustainable pleasures, a simple life, and an understanding of how the world works. Epicureanism was a rival doctrine to Platonism and then Stoicism, and existed until the third century AD. C.
Skepticism
This is a philosophical school of thought that affirms the impossibility of knowing the truth, or even the existence of a truth to be known. Founded in ancient Greece by the philosopher Pyrrho (c. 365–c. 275 BC), its initial maxim was that a philosopher should express an opinion, but not affirm anything, since nothing could be known for certain. Doubt and the suspension of judgment (epoché) were the fundamental principles of this philosophical school.
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References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, which ensure reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- Guthrie, W. (1953). The Greek Philosophers. From Thales to Aristotle. FCE.
- Cordero, N. (2008). The Invention of Philosophy. An Introduction to Ancient Philosophy. Biblos Publishing House.
- Berraondo, J. (1992). Stoicism. Editorial Montesinos.
- Cappelletti, A. (1996). The Ancient Stoics. Gredos
- Stoicism in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. plato.stanford.edu
- Stoicism in britannica.com
- Stoicism Concept, definition – concepto.de
