Stoicism Stoicism is a philosophical teaching which has proven itself the most attainable and practicable ideology for the general citizen, baring ethics as its fruit. Stoics explain the world through physics, logic, and ethics. They draw attention to ethics and develop it as their primary importance of reason, while expanding on logic and physics as substance to strut their ethical resolves and principles. Originating from Greece, Stoicism evolved during the course of multiple periods, its inconsistencies being refined in the Roman hands and eventually popularized through Christianity with a slight, yet important modification (AOK 196, 224).
Stoicism arose from Antisthenes’ Cynicism, using its foundation that the main personal pursuit was happiness was within the soul and that one had to use “rational control of all desires and appetites” (AOK 194). The Cynics, greatly influenced by Socrates’ lifestyle, had disdain for civilization for it weakened and corrupted the soul. They eventually turned away from everyone, becoming individualistic instead of brotherly. Their attention to happiness, or averting of unhappiness, was solely personal and showed their mistake of establishing their ideology on a “savage and uncultured nature,” instead of “a developed civilized nature” as the Stoic have (TSC 184) However, Cynicism had taught Diogenes who became the living icon of the cynical ideology “the less an individual needs to be happy, the less vulnerable he or she is,” becoming a moral hero along Socrates (AOK 113).
Through an amalgam of Socratic virtue, Heraclitus’ fire, Aristotle’s logic, and Cynicism, Zeno founded early Stoicism in Athens. Specific to the Stoics was their emphasis on living in unity with nature, and that something which is good is necessarily good for its bearer at all times (SEP 3). Nature can be discerned into two categories, nature as a whole and human nature (TSC 174). They are both connected to the Logos and thus function within rational order. The Stoics saw the Logos as the “Cosmic Mind” which all things were part of, guiding them and their movements, and most importantly bringing rationality. It is through the Logos’ rationality that nature as a whole and human nature are paired. Depending on how it is look at, we live through nature’s rationality, or use rationality in our nature. Either way, we must accept it and live through the Logos’ foresight. Therefore certain fate is inevitable and we must not try to control it. This implicates that the Stoics attempt to resemble the Logos as much as possible, concentrating effort on being neutral in their emotions (AOK 201).
The notion of being neutral and especially independent of emotions is the very basis of freedom in the Stoic resolve for it enables a way to happiness. It also discerns the Stoic from the hedonist since the Stoic is free of egotistical motives and thus open to his surrounding community (AOK 203). Philosopher-King Marcus Aurelius saw the advantages of such a principle of brotherhood. Greatly influenced by, and influencing Stoicism, he spread it across his vast Empire trying to install altruism, ethics, and virtue, elevating the importance of character (TSC 180). He also applied Stoicism in his State. Since human law was meant for the well-being of the whole, based on rational bearing, it was in relation to the “divine law,” thus making it a “living principle” (TSC 183,184). However, Epicurus adds that for a law to be just it must serve its use, and when it no longer is needed it should be discarded (PD 38).
Stoic virtues stem from Plato’s tripartite soul. The Stoic’s main four virtues are courage, justice, wisdom, and temperance. Even though there is no virtue without the others, since to be virtuous is also to be complete, there is a main virtue which is greater than all. Prudence, often associated to wisdom, is the greatest good which delivers all other virtues (LtM 7). Prudence holds such an important place because it permits to step back and select which choice is the most rational in order to able to advance towards the greatest good, or telos. When something that is done is good, it is virtuous at the same time (SEP 8).
The process of rational selection brings us back to the Logos. Since we cannot know what is destined for us, we can only advance in life while making the best possible decisions according to the two rational natures. This can be represented as observing what is best for my body and wellbeing, and what is best for my soul and happiness. At times the two natures might seem to come in conflict. Thus it is the sum of the two with which one must make a choice. We are able to make the correct rational choices through the innate feeling of “what is appropriate to us.” There are degrees and levels of what is appropriate and what is preferable and through prudence we must use our experience to know the Logos’ design, since we cannot predict what will happen (SEP 6-8). However, if the choices are made with rational thought and in agreement in nature, it is done with virtue. Thus, even if the outcome is not the desired one, it is the rational choice which procures the happiness and not the desired object. Such objects which are neither good nor bad are called indifferents. Indifferents can be states of being or possessions, each with a certain value and thus could be favored but cannot be called good. Just like making the preferred rational -choice, a Stoic will chose a preferred indifferents through his wisdom (SEP 7-10). In accordance to the Stoics, besides having the capacity of making ethical and moral decisions, there is also a more innate living which we share with the living yet amoral world. This concept could be described as natural tendency, meaning that we do what is logical for us to do. It demonstrates that our actions have direct correlation with our predisposed nature. It can be further sub-categorized into a group that free of surroundings conditions, and one that is effected by the conditions. Breaking your palm to get free yourself from handcuffs is an example when there is a “better reason” to harm yourself when normally you would protect your body. A natural tendency can also be performed virtuously since it can be considered as knowledge of the spirit and thus a virtue (SEP 10-13). A Stoic must be as disengaged from his feelings as possible. It does not refer to a disinterest to his surroundings or apathy, however, his psyche must be free of any possible influence from itself. The Stoic’s rational being should be the one in control of how he will respond to what is happening or what will happen, whether it is desired or not. “Passions” are categorized by the Stoics in two categorizes, “appetite and fear.” These are linked to pleasure and distress and can cause “false value-judgment.” Thus passions can suppress rational judgment and in its impulse dominate opinion (SEP 14), and even if the original passion such as fear entered someone without him being able to control it, he is responsible for the sensation that follows (AOK .207)
Since nothing external can be controlled, disengagement also help in accepting what the Logos has assigned you. A Stoic should not be affected by any shortcomings or undesired occasions since happiness is only a product of internal virtuous function. It is the act of rational functioning that brings happiness and not the attainment of the desired effect. Epictetus was one of the most able to explain this philosophy. Being a slave he was never in control of the externals, and could only count on finding happiness through virtuous thinking (AOK 198). In his ‘Manual,’ Epictetus demonstrates the importance of realizing what in our control and what is not. Very simply put he states that whatever is internal, “our own actions,” is in our control, and what is external, “whatever are not our own actions,” is not in our control. If it is so, to desire anything that is external is an assurance of unhappiness (The Ench 1). He continues to explain that everything you may have is not yours, since at any moment it can be taken away by the Logos (The Ench 11). Possessions will weaken the soul if you get attached, while as in Diogenes proved that if you have nothing you are free worries and a step closer to happiness. Since the only thing we have control over is our “free will,” and with that we control our reason, we must use our reason to free us from our feelings and whatever wrong another might cast upon us. However, to try to control another person’s feelings would be and endless and painful endeavor (AOK 207). We should function with relationships the same way as we do everything else, with disengagement. Since life is not fair and nothing is due, we cannot expect that we will receive the good, even in relationships. The Logos has already given us all which is necessary to be happy and it is up to us to reach happiness with it. Since you cannot control the other, and you cannot make a bad father good, it is up to you to be a good son. In every situation you should fulfill your position fully (AOK 208). It is the responsibility of the Stoic to be an example of living a virtuous life just as Socrates who inspired many by his style of living, and taught virtue by demonstration (TSC 184).
Being virtuous is also understanding to price there is to pay. Every achievement has a sacrifice, every material thing has a price. You are foolish if you try to keep both for you will suffer more than if we hadn’t desired any at all. Epictetus warns multiple times in his manual about the necessity of understanding the price there is to pay. He says when you aim for something you must do it completely, otherwise it will lack its virtuousness. Thus if you try to continue doing two things at the same time you will surely fail both since you didn’t complete the first and would have been distracted from the second (The Ench1).
Stoicism seems to go hand in hand with struggle and suffering. It helps develop the soul and virtues. The greater the suffering endured and prevailed, then the greater the courage was created and demonstrated. To suffer is not a bad thing, since the greatest of men have suffered such as Socrates and Epictetus. As Seneca states to live without any form of suffering is like competing with no contender, and thus you will have no merit (AOK 209). The majority of Epicurus’ “Principle Doctrines” relate to the idea that suffering should not only be accepted but that the external harm received should be used internally to test and ‘exercise’ the virtues of the soul. Stoicism could be dramatized as life is unfair, be happy with what you get.
It is understandable that the Church was so pleased with Stoicism and adapted it as much as people to its theology. Its notion of self-control and disciple, altruism and brotherly attention were the same teachings in the church. However, there was a disturbance in that Stoicism referred to the human himself as guidance. Christians would have it that it is God the guides the strength of will. Nevertheless, Augustine used stoicism in his treatises to such an extent that some remain renowned philosophical works and are studied by Christians and non-Christians alike.