{"id":86189,"date":"2022-12-12T14:38:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T18:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=86189"},"modified":"2022-12-14T11:28:54","modified_gmt":"2022-12-14T15:28:54","slug":"what-is-stoic-philosophy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-stoic-philosophy\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Stoic Philosophy\u2014and What Isn&#8217;t It? Realities &#038; Myths"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is Stoic philosophy? What&#8217;s the difference between Greek and Roman Stoicism? What are some common misconceptions about Stoicism today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <em>A Guide to the Good Life<\/em>, philosophy professor William B. Irvine offers a brief history of Stoicism and an overview of its basic tenets. He compares Greek and Roman views of Stoicism, and he explains why the philosophy isn&#8217;t always well understood today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Continue reading for Irvine&#8217;s explanation of Stoic philosophy that sheds light on the good life and its pursuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-stoic-philosophy\">What Is Stoic Philosophy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To better understand Stoic thought\u2014and to avoid some contemporary misconceptions about what it means to be \u201cstoic\u201d\u2014we\u2019ll briefly consider the historical context and basic tenets of Stoicism. As we\u2019ll see, Irvine\u2019s version of <strong>Stoicism involves developing joy and minimizing unhappiness by controlling your desires and finding internal\u2014rather than external\u2014sources of fulfillment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-pursuit-of-the-good-life\">The Pursuit of the Good Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What is Stoic philosophy? Stoicism began in Greece around 300 BC and spread to Rome around 140 BC. Irvine describes it as a \u201cphilosophy of life.\u201d In other words, <strong>Stoicism isn\u2019t interested in abstract theoretical questions<\/strong>\u2014it\u2019s interested in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-live-a-good-life\/\">how to live well<\/a>. Irvine argues that ancient Stoic philosophers were concerned with dispensing practical advice about how you should think and behave in order to achieve a good life. (Shortform note: In solving everyday problems with straightforward advice, Stoicism is very different from <a href=\"http:\/\/ontology.buffalo.edu\/smith\/articles\/What%27sWrong.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">most forms of contemporary philosophy<\/a>, which have been criticized for focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/abstract-thinking-ability\/\">abstract thought<\/a> puzzles, sociopolitical arguments, or the history of philosophy itself.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what <em>is<\/em> a good life? For the Greek Stoics, Irvine says, <strong>having a good life meant living <em>virtuously<\/em>\u2014that is, living as humans were designed to live<\/strong>. The Greek Stoics prized logic and rationality, so for them, to live virtuously meant to exercise reason as fully as possible. For that reason, Greek Stoicism combined ethics (the philosophical study of right and wrong behavior) with logic and physics (which at that time pertained both to the natural world and to what we\u2019d call theology today). (Shortform note: The reason rationality was so important to the ancient Stoics was that <a href=\"https:\/\/iep.utm.edu\/stoiceth\/#:~:text=The%20Stoics%20held%20that%20virtue,no%20way%20depends%20on%20luck.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">they believed that rational thought was the <em>only<\/em> thing that created happiness<\/a> and that <em>corrupted<\/em> reason was the only thing that created unhappiness.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By contrast, Irvine says, the Roman Stoics<strong> <\/strong>dropped the emphasis on logic and physics and instead focused on <strong><em>tranquility<\/em><\/strong>\u2014<strong>the lack of negative emotions such as anger and anxiety and the presence of joy<\/strong>\u2014as the basis of a good life. Irvine bases his version of Stoicism entirely on the Roman Stoics because he thinks this emphasis on tranquility is more likely to appeal to modern audiences than the Greeks\u2019 focus on logical virtue. (Shortform note: <a href=\"https:\/\/donaldrobertson.name\/2013\/05\/17\/review-of-irvines-a-guide-to-the-good-life-the-ancient-art-of-stoic-joy-2009\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Some readers have criticized Irvine\u2019s claim that tranquility was the central goal<\/a> of <em>any <\/em>Stoic school, arguing that <a href=\"https:\/\/dailystoic.com\/4-stoic-virtues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">practical wisdom<\/a> was in fact the highest Stoic value and that tranquility was more closely associated with Epicureanism, an entirely different <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/schools-of-philosophy\/\">school of philosophy<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stoic-beliefs-vs-contemporary-misconceptions\">Stoic Beliefs vs. Contemporary Misconceptions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Irvine, one challenge in revisiting Stoicism today is that ancient Stoic philosophy was quite different from what we commonly think of as stoicism. He says that, <strong>when people talk about \u201cbeing stoic\u201d today, they often mean <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suppressing-your-emotions\/\">suppressing your emotions<\/a><\/strong> or managing not to feel anything in the first place. We might also conflate \u201cstoicism\u201d with living an austere life by shunning pleasures and luxuries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: This observation may have been true when the book was published in 2008, but since then, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vice.com\/en\/article\/xgxvmw\/the-revival-of-stoicism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">there\u2019s been a surge in popularity for modern reinterpretations of Stoic thought<\/a>. As a result, today\u2019s readers may be more likely to associate Stoicism with what <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@markdery\/how-stoicism-became-broicism-123f3aae6aba\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">some critics call \u201cBroicism\u201d<\/a>\u2014a <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/stoicism-philosophy-as-a-way-of-life\/toicism-broicism-and-stoicism-part-i-its-not-about-money-or-success-53acda57dbf9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">commercialized, productivity-oriented, hypermasculine mindset designed for tech billionaires and their imitators<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Irvine explains that the truth is just the opposite: The ancient Stoics weren\u2019t opposed to emotions in general\u2014<strong>they were only interested in minimizing <em>negative<\/em> emotions, and they looked for ways to actively cultivate joy<\/strong>. A number of Irvine\u2019s Stoic practices are based on regulating your reactions so that you\u2019re not unduly upset by external events and can find happiness in any circumstance. (Shortform note: If you choose to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-practice-stoicism\/\">practice Stoicism<\/a>, be careful not to try to <em>suppress <\/em>any emotions, positive or negative. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hcf.com.au\/health-agenda\/body-mind\/mental-health\/downsides-to-always-being-positive#:~:text=And%20avoiding%20emotions%20can%20also,we're%20making%20them%20stronger.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Doing so can lead to <em>more<\/em> emotional distress as well as long-term health problems.<\/a> Instead, think of Stoicism as a way to handle emotions productively rather than a way to get rid of ones you don\u2019t want.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, Irvine says, the ancient Stoics believed you could enjoy pleasures and luxuries as long as you related to them correctly, which meant neither craving them nor getting attached to them. Consequently, several of Irvine\u2019s Stoic practices are designed to help you <strong>tame your desires by appreciating what you already have and ignoring things that don\u2019t really matter<\/strong>. Irvine explains that these practices are important because we\u2019re never truly satisfied: If you base your happiness on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/external-things\/\">external things<\/a> (such as money, status, or other people), you won\u2019t stay happy for long before you need more of those things (more money or higher status) or newer versions of them (the newest iPhone or a new romantic partner).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Contemporary psychology supports Irvine\u2019s claim that our happiness always fades. Experts explain that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/hedonic-treadmill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">we\u2019re constantly on a hedonic treadmill<\/a>: Our bodies and minds always seek equilibrium, so when something good (or bad) happens to you, you\u2019ll feel an initial surge of emotion before gradually returning to your baseline level of happiness. This phenomenon ensures that nothing can actually grant you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/lasting-happiness\/\">lasting happiness<\/a>. Instead, you need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/hedonic-adaptation-4156926\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">counter hedonic adaptation<\/a> via techniques such as pursuing a variety of pleasures, engaging in altruistic behavior, practicing gratitude\u2014and learning Stoicism.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, Irvine argues, the ancient Stoics emphasized life\u2019s temporary nature. They warned that <strong>if you rely on external things to make you happy, you\u2019ll be <\/strong><strong><em>unhappy<\/em><\/strong><strong> when you inevitably lose those things<\/strong>. For that reason, several of Irvine\u2019s practices are meant to help you prepare for life\u2019s inevitable downturns so that you can handle misfortune skillfully and remain on an even keel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: This focus on life\u2019s temporariness closely parallels <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vridhamma.org\/node\/2489\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Buddhist concept of <em>anicca<\/em>, or impermanence<\/a>. Buddhism argues that existence consists of constant change and that we suffer when we refuse to accept that change\u2014for example, when we cling to the past or agonize about the future. Moreover, some experts point out that <a href=\"https:\/\/puredhamma.net\/key-dhamma-concepts\/anicca-dukkha-anatta-2\/anicca-inability-to-keep-what-we-like\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201canicca\u201d can also translate roughly to \u201cthe inability to keep what we like\u201d<\/a>\u2014in other words, that suffering comes from the (unattainable) desire to hold on to the things that bring you pleasure.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Stoic philosophy? What&#8217;s the difference between Greek and Roman Stoicism? What are some common misconceptions about Stoicism today? In A Guide to the Good Life, philosophy professor William B. Irvine offers a brief history of Stoicism and an overview of its basic tenets. He compares Greek and Roman views of Stoicism, and he explains why the philosophy isn&#8217;t always well understood today. Continue reading for Irvine&#8217;s explanation of Stoic philosophy that sheds light on the good life and its pursuit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":86192,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[827],"class_list":["post-86189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-philosophy","tag-a-guide-to-the-good-life","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is Stoic Philosophy\u2014and What Isn&#039;t It? Realities &amp; Myths - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is Stoic philosophy? 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