Results for: Stoicism

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In Ancient History

What is stoicism?

The philosophy of stoicism as espoused by the Greeks (notably Zeno, 334 BC-262 BC) saw negative emotions as failures to act with wisdom and virtue. They believed that virtue a… (MORE)

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In Ancient History

Who founded stoicism?

Stoicism is a school of philosophic thought founded during theHellenistic civilization time. This particular school of thought,founded by Zeno of Citium, taught that emotions … (MORE)

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In Ancient History

What is the opposite to stoicism?

Probably dramatic or animated.If you mean: what philosophy is theopposite of the Stoic philosophy, the answer is Epicureanism.

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In Sentence and Word Structure

A sentence for stoicism?

Despite the pain of his injuries, the wounded soldier faced his long rehabilitation with stoicism.

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In Sentence and Word Structure

Stoicism in a sentence?

Marcus is a remarkable young man and goes about his daily life with great Stoicism . :)

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In Christianity

What does Stoicism have to do with Christianity?

Stoics believed that one should not be too sad or too happy. In Christianity, this is shown in the Bible, when David is full of himself while watching a woman bathe. It is bel… (MORE)

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In Roman Empire

Why were the Romans attracted to the philosophy of Stoicism?

Stoicism was not the most influential philosophical school only among the Romans. It was so among the Greeks as well. Stoicism became the foremost philosophy among the Greek e…ducated elite in the Hellenistic world, which stretched from mainland Greece to Syria and Egypt. The Romans conquered the whole of this world. The Roman educated elite were deeply influenced by Hellenistic culture and looked up to it. Their education was in Greek as well as Latin and they were fluent in Greek. The pinnacle of their education was a stay in Greece to study Greek philosophy. Therefore, it is not surprising that stoicism was taken up by many members of the Roman elite. Epicureanism was another school Greek philosophy which was around in the Hellenistic world. It gained popularity among the Roman elite as well, though not as much as stoicism. Roman educated men, just like Greek educated men, were attracted stoicism because it was a powerful philosophy. It advocated the pursuit of happiness, freedom form suffering and a righteous life, maintained that ethics was the main focus of human knowledge and aimed at improving the individual's ethical and moral well-being. In this respect it make up for the lack of ethical values in both Greek and Roman religion. As Bertrand Russell put it, in stoicism "virtue consists in a will that is in agreement with Nature â¦ [and] "to be free from anger, envy, and jealousy" in interpersonal relationships. Stoicism also aimed being free from passion. However, the word passion had a different meaning back then. It meant anguish or suffering which came from passively reacting to external events. Wisdom was required to be free from suffering, to attain eupatheia; that is, feelings that result from correct judgment in the same way as passions (suffering) result from incorrect judgment. Freedom for suffering came through apatheia or peace of mind (literally, 'without passion'). To the ancient Greeks apatheia meant being objective or having "clear judgment" and the maintenance of equanimity in the face of life's highs and lows. Therefore, apatheia required the use of reason and reason was to be developed through the exercise of logic. However, reason went beyond logic. It was not just the exercise of the intellect as it is understood today. Reason also meant understanding the processes of nature. To the stoics living according to reason meant living in harmony with the divine order of the universe and in oneness with nature, which were the source of reason in human beings and apatheia (peace of mind and freedom for suffering) and happiness. Unhappiness and evil are the results of human ignorance of the reason in nature. Being unkind or acting unethically were reflections of this ignorance. The stoics also believed in four cardinal virtues: wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance. More generally, virtue meant amend one's will to be in agreement, harmony and oneness with nature. In this way one exercises one's will in autonomy ether than reacting passively to external events. As Epictetus put it, a virtuous man is "sick and yet happy, in peril and yet happy, dying and yet happy, in exile and happy, in disgrace and happy." A man of virtue makes honourable moral choices. Stoicism was a philosophy of life which was to be actively pursued through of constant practice. Its spiritual practices comprised logic, Socratic dialog and self-dialog, contemplation of death, training attention to remain in the present moment (that is, meditation), and daily reflection on everyday problems and possible solutions. Stoicism was cosmopolitanism and egalitarian. All human beings were manifestations of the universal spirit. There should be brotherly love and mutual help. Wealth and social ranks did not matter and all human beings were equal.. (MORE)

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In Philosophy and Philosophers

Which philosopher started the Stoicism movement?

Zeno of Citium was the philosopher who started the Stoicism movement in the early 3rd century BC. Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy. Stoics believed that you shou… (MORE)

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In Definitions

What is the definition of stoicism?

This school of philosophy focused on the pursuit of virtue ratherthan the pleasure of life.

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In History, Politics & Society

Why did Stoicism appeal to the Romans?

Roman educated men, just like some Greek educated men, wereattracted to stoicism because it was a powerful philosophy. Itadvocated the pursuit of happiness, freedom form suffe…ring and arighteous life; maintained that ethics was the main focus of humanknowledge; and aimed at improving the individual's ethical andmoral well-being. In this respect it made up for the lack ofethical values in both Greek and Roman religion. Moreover, theRomans were a practical people not adept at abstract theories.Thus, the theories of Geek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotledid not appeal to them. Stoicism was more of a philosophy of life,rather than just abstract theory and had practical implications forone's life. This appealed to Roman elite men. Stoicism was an influential philosophical school not only among theRomans. It was also the foremost philosophical school among theGreek-educated elite in the Hellenistic world, which stretched frommainland Greece to Syria and Egypt. The Romans conquered the wholeof this world. The Roman-educated elite were deeply influenced byHellenistic culture and looked up to it. Their education was inGreek as well as Latin and they were fluent in Greek. The pinnacleof their education was a stay in Greece to study Greek philosophy.Therefore, it is not surprising that stoicism was taken up by manymembers of the Roman elite. Epicureanism was another school Greekphilosophy which was around in the Hellenistic world. It gainedpopularity among the Roman elite as well, though not as much asstoicism. As Bertrand Russell put it, in stoicism, "virtue consists in a willthat is in agreement with Nature â¦ [and] "to be free from anger,envy, and jealousy" in interpersonal relationships. Stoicism alsoaimed being free from passion. However, the word passion had adifferent meaning back then. It meant anguish or suffering whichcame from passively reacting to external events. Wisdom wasrequired to be free from suffering, to attain eupatheia; that is,feelings that result from correct judgment in the same way aspassions (suffering) result from incorrect judgment. Freedom forsuffering came through apatheia or peace of mind (literally,'without passion'). To the ancient Greeks apatheia meant beingobjective or having "clear judgment" and the maintenance ofequanimity in the face of life's highs and lows. Therefore,apatheia required the use of reason and reason was to be developedthrough the exercise of logic. However, reason went beyond logic.It was not just the exercise of the intellect as it is understoodtoday. Reason also meant understanding the processes of nature. Tothe stoics living according to reason meant living in harmony withthe divine order of the universe and in oneness with nature, whichwere the source of reason in human beings and apatheia (peace ofmind and freedom for suffering) and happiness. Unhappiness and evilare the results of human ignorance of the reason in nature. Beingunkind or acting unethically were reflections of this ignorance. The stoics also believed in four cardinal virtues: wisdom, courage,justice, and temperance. More generally, virtue meant amend one'swill to be in agreement, harmony and oneness with nature. In thisway one exercises one's will in autonomy ether than reactingpassively to external events. As Epictetus put it, a virtuous manis "sick and yet happy, in peril and yet happy, dying and yethappy, in exile and happy, in disgrace and happy." A man of virtuemakes honourable moral choices. Stoicism was a philosophy of lifewhich was to be actively pursued through of constant practice. Itsspiritual practices comprised logic, Socratic dialog andself-dialog, contemplation of death, training attention to remainin the present moment (that is, meditation), and daily reflectionon everyday problems and possible solutions. Stoicism was cosmopolitanism and egalitarian. All human beings weremanifestations of the universal spirit. There should be brotherlylove and mutual help. Wealth and social ranks did not matter andall human beings were equal. (MORE)