Tom Morris, Gregory Bassham

Stoicism for Dummies

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

The philosophy that will help you become more resilient in the face of life's challenges

Stoicism For Dummies will teach you the basic principles of stoic philosophy and show you how it can help you navigate the ups and downs of life. We all face challenges and setbacks, and, if we have the right mindset, we can sail through them with ease. This book offers a comprehensive look at Stoic philosophy, uncovering its strengths and attractions and shedding light on its limitations, both in the ancient world where it was developed, and in our world today. Learn how you can apply stoic principles for personal growth and better living, and how you can adapt this philosophical outlook to your unique circumstances. Written in terms anyone can understand, this friendly Dummies guide helps you understand stoicism, and also apply it in your life.
_ Understand the basics of stoic philosophy, including virtues and practices
_ Learn how to keep calm and carry on when life throws you curveballs
_ Apply stoic principles to improve your relationships and quality of life
_ Discover the history of stoicism and how its principles can apply to today's world

This book is great for anyone who wants to learn more about stoicism and its benefits.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: For Dummies / Wiley & Sons
• Artikelnr. des Verlages: 1W394206270
• 1. Auflage
• Seitenzahl: 400
• Erscheinungstermin: 11. Januar 2024
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 224mm x 196mm x 36mm
• Gewicht: 739g
• ISBN-13: 9781394206278
• ISBN-10: 1394206275
• Artikelnr.: 67679013

Autorenporträt

Tom Morris is author of Philosophy For Dummies and 30 other books. He was a philosophy professor at The University of Notre Dame and now heads The Morris Institute for Human Values. Gregory Bassham is author of The Philosophy Book, an illustrated history of philosophy, and 10 other books. Gregory was a professor of philosophy at King's College.

Inhaltsangabe

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 3

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: Ancient Stoicism 5

Chapter 1: Stoicism: A Philosophy for Our Time 7

A Way of Thought for Our Time 8

Hot philosophy in America 9

The Stoic formula 9

What Does "Philosophy" Even Mean? 10

What Wisdom Is and Is Not 11

Two sides of philosophy 12

Philosophy and life 14

Using Wisdom with the Stoics 17

Happiness and freedom 18

When to go to philosophy 20

Chapter 2: Socrates and the Beginnings of Western Philosophy 21

Heraclitus the (Cranky and) Obscure 22

Socrates: The Barefoot Gadfly and General Pain-in-the-Patootie of Ancient Athens 24

Care for the soul 25

Virtue is sufficient for happiness 26

No harm can come to a good person 26

Virtue is knowledge 27

No one does wrong willingly 27

Diogenes of Sinope: Socrates on Steroids 27

Virtue is the only true good 28

Virtue is sufficient for happiness 28

"Follow nature" 29

Be a citizen of the world 29

Chapter 3: The First Stoics 31

The Basic Teachings of Zeno and His Stoic Followers 32

Materialists through and through 32

Belief in Logos 33

Strict determinists 35

Belief in an afterlife 35

Live rationally 36

The good, the evil, and the indifferent 36

Only virtue leads to happiness 37

Why Stoicism Had Its Moment in Ancient Greece and Rome 39

Chapter 4: Stoicism Comes to Rome 41

Seneca and Epictetus 42

Seneca: Wealthy but Frugal 42

Philosophy as a therapy for the emotions 43

Coping with life's hard knocks 44

Controlling anger 45

Epictetus: Slave Turned Philosopher 47

True freedom 48

The dichotomy of control 49

Radical acceptance 50

Chapter 5: Marcus Aurelius: Philosopher-Emperor 53

A Stoic Philosopher Comes to the Throne 53

Early influences 54

Conversion to Stoicism 55

Reign as emperor 55

Personal tragedies and death 56

Two Themes in Marcus's Philosophy 58

Impermanence: Reality is flux 58

Pessimism 59

The Demise of Ancient Stoicism 63

The demise of "the old gods" of paganism 63

The rise of competing philosophies 63

Failure to appeal to the masses 63

Attacks by rival philosophical schools 64

Down but not out 64

Part 2: the Stoic Worldview 65

Chapter 6: The Stoic View of Reality 67

Everything Is Made of Matter 68

God and Nature 69

Stoic pantheism 69

The Earth's place in the universe 70

Stoic arguments for God 70

Stoic belief in periodic conflagrations 72

The Place of Humanity in the Cosmos 73

An anthropocentric view 73

Belief in a (temporary) afterlife 74

Finding truth in outdated notions 76

Chapter 7: Providence, Fate, and Free Will 77

"Everything Is Fated" 78

Fatalism gone rogue 79

Free will and responsibility 81

Is God to Blame for Evil? 85

Seneca's response 85

Natural evils and animal pain 86

Are sin and evil caused by God? 87

Stoic Fate and Passivity 88

Divine Providence 89

Part 3: Stoic Ethics 93

Chapter 8: Virtue as the Goal of