Stoic Meditations

Latest Episodes:

234. How to avoid temptation and practice virtue Nov 07, 2018

Show notes

Seneca gives some very commonsensical advice, backed up by modern psychological research, on how to best avoid temptation. Which leads us to a discussion of what we should avoid, and what, by contrast, we should seek out in order to act virtuously.

233. We are all sick, but we can help each other Nov 06, 2018

Show notes

Seneca says to his friend Lucilius that he is no wise man or doctor, but rather an unwise and sick person. Which brings us to a discussion of Stoic humility and how it is that we can all make progress toward wisdom.

232. The difference between tranquillity and flat calm Nov 05, 2018

Show notes

Seneca argues that tranquillity of mind is the result of an active, but realistic, engagement with the problems posed by life. By contrast, refusing to rise up to challenges simply leads to a flat and meaningless calm.

231. Racism and Stoic compassion Nov 02, 2018

Show notes

Marcus Aurelius reminds us that people do and say things not because they are evil, but because they are mistaken. The proper response, then, is education and pity, not hatred.

230. Gelato and the Cynic wing of Stoicism Nov 01, 2018

Show notes

Musonius Rufus advises us to follow a minimalist life style, closer to the so-called "Cynic" wing of the Stoic movement. Why is that? Because reducing temptations helps us practicing virtue, as we'll see by way of an example featuring gelato.

229. The most important mental trick of your life Oct 31, 2018

Show notes

Epictetus says that a lyre player plays beautifully when he practices on his own. But gets very nervous in front of an audience. That's because he wants something that is not under his control. Learn and internalize this lesson and your life will be happy and serene.

228. The unity of virtue thesis Oct 30, 2018

Show notes

Seneca argues that the four cardinal virtues are a tightly coordinated council, which makes the best possible decisions for us. In this episode we explore the Stoic concept of the unity of virtue, and make sense of it by analogy with going to the gym to improve our health.

227. Tackle illness with virtue Oct 29, 2018

Show notes

Illness is not something to look forward to, as Stoics are not mad. But it is a fact of life, and so it becomes a question of how we deal with it: by kicking and screming, or as a test of our virtue of temperance?

226. Be prepared to endure prosperity Oct 26, 2018

Show notes

Seneca argues that, strange as it may seem, prosperity is to be endured, just as bad times are. It's yet another Stoic "paradox," of which we make sense in this episode.

225. Epictetus gets punched on the nose Oct 25, 2018

Show notes

Epictetus tells the story of when he first started preaching, instead of teaching, philosophy. It did not go well, and he got punched on the nose. He quickly learned the difference between preaching and teaching.

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