Stoic Meditations

Latest Episodes:

144. Be forgiving of liars and unjust people Jun 29, 2018

Show notes

Marcus Aurelius reminds us that Stoicism is both self forgiving and forgiving of others, and that while we should take the path of truth and justice, we should also be tolerant of people who are even further from wisdom and are gooing the wrong way.

143. But I couldn't do otherwise! Yes, you could... Jun 28, 2018

Show notes

Epictetus tells us that nobody can force us to agree to a judgment we think is incorrect. Surprisingly, this has countless applications to everyday life.

142. Make yourself happy through your own efforts Jun 27, 2018

Show notes

Seneca reminds us that, regardless of external circumstances, the only life worth living is one of virtue, and the only life to avoid is one dominated by vice.

141. Above all, we are citizens of the world Jun 26, 2018

Show notes

Marcus Aurelius recognizes that, as Antoninus, he is a citizen of Rome. But more fundamentally, he is a citizen of the human cosmopolis. Some pretty radical consequences immediately follow...

140. Only the truly educated person is free Jun 25, 2018

Show notes

Epictetus reminds us that education, which involves the ability to shape our moral values, is the only ticket to achieving freedom. Something to remember, in these days in which people freely elect tyrants and autocracts.

139. Would the Stoics approve of assisted suicide? Jun 22, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we discuss a quote from Seneca which, together with several other passages in other authors, clearly points to the conclusion that the Stoics were in favor of suicide in the case of disease and frailty in old age. Which does not mean they took suicide lightly at all.

138. Being bad requires a lot of work Jun 21, 2018

Show notes

Musonius Rufus rather sarcastically reminds us that being bad requires just as much work as being good, so why not choose the latter instead?

137. Teach them then, and show them without being angry Jun 20, 2018

Show notes

Marcus Aurelius says that people make mistakes because they don't know better. So there is no point in getting self-rigtheous and angry about it, instead we need to teach them where they go wrong.

136. Go hug a philosopher, will you? Jun 19, 2018

Show notes

Epictetus defends the apparently strange notion that philosophy, like mathematics (or science, or lots of other things) is a profession, requiring expertise. He is not being elitist, he's just being reasonable.

135. We belong to the world, not to a particular corner of it Jun 18, 2018

Show notes

Seneca reminds us that even though we belong to different social groups, religions, ethnicities and so forth, we are, most fundamentally, members of the human cosmopolis.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected