Occasional reflections on the wisdom of Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers. More at https://massimopigliucci.wordpress.com. Please consider supporting Stoic Meditations. (cover art by Marek Škrabák; original music by Ian Jolin-Rasmussen, www.jolinras.info). Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
https://massimopigliucci.wordpress.com
Why a good life is a moral life
Cicero articulates a Stoic syllogism aiming at demonstrating that the good life is a moral life. We look at whether the syllogism is valid and sound. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
The chief good is the moral good
The wise person is happy because she is in complete control of the chief good in life: the moral good. Everything else is a preferred or dispreferred (moral) indifferent. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
The metaphor of the archer
Cicero explains the notions of preferred indifferents and of the dichotomy of control by means of one of the most famous metaphors in Stoic literature: a discussion what is and is not up to an archer attempting to hit a target. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
The mixed roots of virtue
According to Stoic moral developmental psychology we begin life as self centered organisms, whose prosocial behavior develops initially by instinct, and then proceeds further with the aid of reason. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
Things that have value outside of virtue
Things like health and wealth are choiceworthy. But what gives them value is, specifically, that they are the raw materials through which we exercise our chief good: virtue. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
Our natural delight in the use of reason
Cicero explains that human beings are naturally drawn to the use of reason, beginning when they are children. He also talks about the Stoic concept of katalepsis, the kind of impression so strong that it is undeniable. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
The root of virtue: self love
Cicero has Cato the Younger explain a fundamental concept of Stoic developmental psychology: how virtue is rooted in innate self love, and how we do things that are good for us regardless of pleasure and pain. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
The crucial importance of technical words
Cicero explains why philosophy needs a technical vocabulary, and we look at the sort of issues this may cause when talking to people who are unfamiliar with such vocabulary. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
Virtue vs pleasure
At the onset of book III of Cicero's De Finibus, Cato the Younger explain the difference between the Epicurean and Stoic positions on the respective values of pleasure and virtue. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support
Teach or endure
People exist for the sake of one another. Teach them then or bear with them. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support