Stoicism An Ancient Greco/Roman School of Philosophical Thought.

StoicismAn Ancient Greco/Roman School of Philosophical Thought

Origins of Stoicism

The origins of western philosophy are rooted in the ancient Aegean world. These Greeks and the Romans (who would follow), started various philosophical schools, all purporting to direct their students into “the good life.”

The Stoic school of philosophy was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the 3rd century B.C.

The name stoic derives from the porch (stoikos) in the Agora that was decorated with mural paintings where Zeno lectured the students on his philosophy.

Stoicism is a non-Christian philosophy; its origins predate Christ.

Tenets of Stoicism

The Stoics were located somewhere between the Cyrenaics and Cynics in their philosophy (between the pursuit of sensual pleasures and self-mortification). The Cyrenaics taught that pleasure was the chief good

in life (Hedonism). The Cynics went to the other side of the road – they

lived an ascetic lifestyle and were known for their cynical statements.

Duty and virtue are the chief pursuits of the Stoic disciple.

Tenets of Stoicism

Stoics are known for advocating a state of tranquility or “stoic calm” in the face of all adversity. Tranquility results from controlling the emotions and passions.

Some people believe that stoical means living without emotion and passion. This is not true; they believed that one should eliminate negative emotions: anger, lust, jealousy, greed. These emotions keep our mind unsettled and cloud our judgment.

They believed that we need, not a change in our external situation, but a change in the internal disposition.

Famous Roman/Greco Stoics

Seneca the Younger (4 BC-AD 65) The early Christian church was very favorably disposed

towards Seneca and his writings, and the church leader Tertullian called him "our Seneca."

Tutor to Nero and was ordered to commit suicide by Nero.

Famous Roman/Greco Stoics

Epictetus (AD 55-135) A Greek sage and Stoic philosopher. Lived in Rome until he was banished to northwestern

Greece where he lived the rest of his life.

Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) He was a Roman Emperor He wrote Meditations, a literary monument to stoic

philosophy, and the most read stoic literature.

Stoicism vs. Christian Worldview

Is Stoicism compatible with Biblical truth? The answer is: yes and no.

Three stoical teachings are totally incompatible with the Christian faith. The conception of God

Pantheistic – God has no personality and is not to be distinguished from nature

Stoicism vs. Christian Worldview

The conception of Man A nature that needs to be directed – not

redeemed and transformed. The conception of Providence

More akin to fate, nature

Where philosophies conflict with Scripture we need to reject their teachings. Where they are compatible, we may learn something.

Negative Visualization

Negative Visualization is contemplating bad things that could happen to us. For the purpose of preventing them from

happening. For the purpose of lessening their impact.

Seneca said, “Misfortune weighs most heavily on those who expect nothing but good fortune.”

For the purpose of helping us appreciate and enjoy what we have.


Hedonic adaptation: The hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, is the supposed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes. According to this theory, as a person makes more money, expectations and desires rise in tandem, which results in no permanent gain in happiness.


We desire to acquire…when we acquire we quickly get used to what we have…and then we desire more or something else. Our desires are simply replaced with new ones.

This applies to consumer purchases, a new job, relationships…etc. We soon take for granted our spouse, children, house, car, job, income…etc.

We need to reverse this process of adaptation. We need a technique for creating a desire for the things we already have. This is the easiest way for us to gain happiness—to want the things we already have.


The Stoics thought we should imagine that we have lost the things we value... Our life Our spouse - died or left Our possessions Our health Our abilities


Hedonic adaptation has the power to extinguish our enjoyment of living.

Negative visualization can lead to the restoration of that joy


Self Denial If negative visualization is to contemplate bad things that

can happen, self denial is living (for a time) as if they have happened. It is creating discomfort that we could easily have avoided. For example: fasting.

Voluntary discomfort can be thought of as a vaccine. By exposing ourselves to a small amount of weakened virus now, we create in ourselves an immunity that will protect us later.

Minor discomfort now = ability to withstand major discomforts later.


Acts of self denial: Fortify us against future discomforts. Create moderation (self control). Intensify pleasures.


Issues of Control Most of what we encounter in life will be… Things over which we have complete control, e.g.,

whether we do our best in our work every day. Things over which we have no control, e.g., whether the

sun will rise tomorrow. Things over which we have some control, e.g. whether we

will win a tennis match.


How to handle these matters… We should concern ourselves with matters in which we

have complete control. We should not concern ourselves with matters beyond our

control. We should concern ourselves with matters in which we

have some control, but be careful to internalize the goals we form with respect to them, or we will always be frustrated and unhappy.


Anger Stoics devised strategies to minimize anger. Seneca wrote an essay “On Anger.” Anger is brief insanity. Great damage is done through anger. What one is usually angry about seldom matters later

(100 yr rule). Therefore it is a waste of precious time and emotions.


Aging and Dying Why the saying, “Life begins at 40?” Life is a trade off.

What do we have in youth that we don’t have in mid-life or in our elderly years?

What do we have with age that we don’t have in youth?

Which is more desirable?


As people age, they lose certain abilities but they also lose desire to do those things. What is better, to have desire or not, given desire’s power to torment? Stoics embraced age, because they felt they were experiencing liberty from youthful desires.

Why are people disturbed by the thought of dying? Fear of what might come after. Fear that they have wasted life ~ mis-lived.


For Stoics, death is inevitable (beyond our control). What sense does it make to fear what is beyond our control?

We should control our life; we cannot control our death. However, from a Christian perspective, we have some control over where we land after death, so we should be concerned about that.

It is better to live with distinction—than to live long.

Stoicism An Ancient Greco/Roman School of Philosophical Thought.

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