We hear a lot these days about the virtues of Stoicism. In times of crisis, it steers people towards tranquility, or so we are told, and nearly 2000 years ago Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius brilliantly demonstrated already how to cope with adversity. Recently, the “New Stoa” has turned into something of an industry. On the basis of Epictetus’ Enchiridion, the Italian-American biologist and philosopher Massimo Pigliucci produced a genuine best-seller: How to Be a Stoic. Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (2017). With Gregory Lopez, Pigliucci next wrote Live Like a Stoic (2019), providing 52 “exercises” in Stoicism. For those who are looking for daily instruction, there’s The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living (2016), written by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. Only last year, Ward Farnsworth, dean of the Texas Law School, added The Practicing Stoic, the British philosopher John Sellars taught his Lessons in Stoicism, and the psychotherapist Donald Robertson instructed us How to Think like a Roman Emperor.
Stoicism, however, has never been without its critics, for doesn’t the striving for apatheia, the mental state in which we’re no longer affected by what’s beyond our control, lead to moral indifference? Isn’t it simply mistaken to argue as Stoics do that emotions result from false judgements? It would seem philosophers are especially vulnerable to the selfishness inherent to the inward turn Stoicism advertises; Let’s be honest: many of us are hardly affected by the standstill of public life as we continue to read and write in the confines of our private libraries, safely settled behind our screens. The Stoic reply according to which the sage knows and appreciates he’s a member of the kosmopolis made up by the wider family of humanity, somehow fails to convince. In addition, the way in which we’re directed towards Seneca of all people as an example to be emulated is pretty baffling - just read Tacitus and Cassius Dio on the moral eminence of this philosopher-statesman who filled his pockets while educating the monster-child that was the emperor Nero.
Paradoxically, Stoics appear to overestimate the value of believing in oneself. I’m reminded of G.K. Chesterton’s comments: “Shall I tell you where the men are who believe most in themselves? For I can tell you. I know of men who believe in themselves more colossally than Napoleon or Caesar. I know where flames the fixed star of certainty and success. I can guide you to the thrones of the Super-men. The men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic asylums.”
Wiep van Bunge
Erasmus School of Philosophy