The Stoic Tradition Essay - 1216 Words

The Stoic Tradition In the approximate year of 320 B.C., one could be walking down the street with a high probability of passing a house where several men would be gathered out on the porch. It is likely that this was a gathering of individuals discussing philosophy. The gatherings became a more common occurrence, and since they would take place out on the porches, the school of philosophy derived from them takes its name from the Greek stoa, or porch. The ideology of that movement is henceforth known as Stoicism. Also, the Stoics have come to use the statement made by Socrates as the cornerstone of their judgments, being that no harm can come to a good man. However, this concept is taken a bit further by the Stoics, as they†¦show more content†¦This is also the place where Socrates and Plato are heard in the endeavor towards human excellence by means of focusing on the actions of the self as opposed to the actions of others, which cannot be controlled. Marcus Aurelius wrote that one is to let no action be done at random, or in any other way than in accordance with the principle which perfects the art, (Aurelius 518). This statement reinforces the notion of following a trajectory. By performing actions with the intention of becoming a better human being, one is following the personal trajectory towards human excellence. This intention in every action undertaken does not make it random, and keeping on course towards self-improvement causes the action in particular to be one which perfects the art. The action becomes an action of being in accordance with the principles of nature, and thus reinforces the venture towards human excellence perpetually. So in acting to improve, one is improving the actions that help to improve in a self-propagating cycle. Furthermore, following nature is remaining in a state of calm and peaceful apathy in response to the stressing events of life. Epictetus writes, Remember that you ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. As something is being passed around it comes to you; stretch out your hand and take a portion of it politely. It passes on; do not detain it. Or it has not come to you yet; do not project your desire to meet it, but waitShow MoreRelatedNatural Law : The Human Conception Of Justice Or Moral Right1181 Words   |  5 Pagesobligation (Boucher, 2009, P.12). The differing perceptions of natural law explored here will focus on Sophocles, Aristotle, Stoics, Cicero, Augustine and Aquinas. There will also be brief reference to the overlaps between natural law and natural rights traditions, to show that obligations do not always take priority over rights. Primarily across the natural law tradition, obligations take priority over rights however this becomes less certain with the overlaps between natural law and natural rightsRead MoreThe Big Three , Socrates, Plato, And Aristotle1035 Words   |  5 Pagesphilosophical tr adition was immensely rich beyond these three figures, with many other strains of philosophical thought emerging and withering throughout Ancient Greek history. One notable example of such a strain is the Stoics, a breed of philosophical thinking which was so strongly in favour of controlling one’s emotions, that the English adjective ‘stoical’ itself is derived from ‘stoa’, the painted portico from which Zeno of Citium gave lectures. To understand why the Stoics had such a negativeRead MoreThe Battle Of The Roman Empire By Caesar s Commentarii De Bello Gallico Essay1732 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Colonial Formation of British Social Anthropology†; and C. Kraus, Bellum Gallcium, attests to the pedagogical function of such work. Therefore, I contend the Bellum Gallicum, presents as a didactic text―in regards to Caesar, who propels the Stoic theory of cultural maturation, informed by the pseudo-scientific principles of earlier philosophers, namely, Posidonius and Seneca the Younger. In addition, Caesar exploits the primal nature of Roman subjects to further both his and Rome s agendaRead MoreMartins Argument On Homosexuality1526 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom the stoic school of thought. Some Greek stoics felt that sexual desire was an emotion that should be moderated, restrained, and suppressed. Metaphorically, sexual passion was an adversary that should be â€Å"tamed† by the ideal man. The m otivation for such modesty had almost nothing to do with a respect for marriage, fidelity, or religious morality. Instead, stoics felt that it was in a man’s best interest to suppress desires for the sake of self-control. Even within marriage, some stoics maintainedRead MoreThe Broken Spears: the Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico1413 Words   |  6 Pageshaving their towns overtaken, while other texts simply explain what was happening at the time. In Traditions and Encounters, a more factual approach is taken, conveying only facts. The Broken Spears includes facts, yet also includes the vivid emotions of the people. The Spanish Conquest introduced the indigenous people not only to the Spaniards, but also to a vast array of European diseases. Traditions and Encounters describes the smallpox epidemic as â€Å"rag[ing] through the city, killing inhabitantsRead MoreLife Of The Dead By Marcus Cicero Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pagesevery roman citizen had the right to a respectful funeral despite their social standing. Roman funerary practices included two different types of religious rituals, either burial or cremation, both of which were considered apart of ancient roman tradition. Roman cemeteries were located outside of the â€Å"Pomerium†, a sacred open space located inside the walls surrounding the Esquiline Hill, Palatine Hill, Capitoline Hill and Quirinal Hill in the early ancient city. As it was illegal to bury the deceasedRead MoreAll Great Minds Think Alike...Sometimes Essay1182 Words   |  5 Pagesmoved to Athens in 306 B.C.E. and taught in his famous garden, The Garden of Epicu rus, until he died (Great Traditions in Ethics, 35). Epicurus lived a life of frugality and simplicity. Epicurus ethical theory cultivates from his belief that â€Å"nothing is created out of nothing† and hence he argues â€Å"†¦that only natural causes operate in the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (39). Epictetus, on the other hand, was a firm stoic and hence practiced stoicism in his ethical theory and believed â€Å"hedonism is a false doctrine† (56). EpictetusRead More Roman and Greek Philosophys Influence on Todays Western Culture780 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant philosophy in Rome was Stoicism, which originated in Hellenistic Greece. The contents of the philosophy were easily persuaded to the Roman worldview, especially to repeat what the Romans considered their crowning achievement. The centrepiece of Stoic philosophy was the concept of the logos. The universe is ordered by God and this order is the logos, which means ?meaning of the universe?. Rome at its beginnin g was basically agricultural and martial culture. As a result, the earliest Romans stressedRead MoreCritical Thinking By Kwame Appiah1169 Words   |  5 PagesCynics of Ancient Greece during the 4th century. The word Cosmopolitanism was used to reflect the distaste of custom and tradition the Cynics held and their rejection of sectional communities. Consequently, the Stoics of Ancient Rome also utilized the concept of cosmopolitanism in an effort of separation that turned into a movement of unification. Appiah (2006) relays that the Stoic emperor, Marcus Aurelius, tried to contain the emerging Christiana but ended up attracting them with his book, MeditationsRead MoreImportance Of Cosmopolitanism1177 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom the early Cynics of Ancient Greece during the 4th century. The word was used to reflect the distaste of custom and tradition the Cynics held and their rejection of sectional communities. Consequently, the Stoics of Ancient Rome utilized the concept of cosmopo litanism as well in an effort of separation that turned into a movement of unification. Appiah (2006) relays that the Stoic emperor, Marcus Aurelius, tried to contain the emerging Christians, he ended up attracting them with his book, Meditations