Stoic Meditations

Massimo Pigliucci

Occasional reflections on the wisdom of Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers with Prof. Massimo Pigliucci. Complete index by author and source at https://massimopigliucci.org/stoic-podcast/. (cover art by Marek Škrabák; original music by Ian Jolin-Rasmussen).

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1,094 episodes
Updated Aug 23, 2022

Episodes1094

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Apr 15, 2021 · 3 min
834. Is grief a form of cowardice?
Cicero presents an argument according to which grief is the result of lack of courage. As a modern Stoic, I beg to differ. Overcoming grief requires courage, but the feeling itself is natural and inevitable.
Apr 14, 2021 · 2 min
833. Lust and anger
They who are run away with by their lust or anger have quitted the command over themselves.
Apr 13, 2021 · 3 min
832. Everyone but the sage is mad
Cicero explains the Stoic "paradox" that everyone but the sage is mad. In the sense of not being reasonable. The good news is that we can work on being less mad, every day.
Apr 12, 2021 · 2 min
831. Diseases of the mind
There are more disorders of the mind than of the body, and they are of a more dangerous nature. And what disorders can be worse to the body than these two distempers of the mind, weakness and desire?
Apr 9, 2021 · 2 min
830. On fame
Popular fame is hasty and inconsiderate, and generally commends wicked and immoral actions, and throws discredit upon the appearance and beauty of honesty by assuming a resemblance of it.
Apr 8, 2021 · 3 min
829. Natural virtue?
The Stoics put forth the notion that we are naturally virtuous (i.e., prosocial), and that it is society that leads us astray. Modern science confirms their intuition only in part. The fact remains, though, that the choice is ours.
Apr 7, 2021 · 3 min
828. Who we really are
What reason shall I assign, O Brutus, why, as we consist of mind and body, the art of curing the body should be so much sought after, but the medicine of the mind should not have been so much the object of inquiry?
Apr 6, 2021 · 2 min
827. The power of acting right
If you are satisfied with yourself when you have approved of what is right, you will not only have the mastery over yourself (which I recommended to you just now), but over everybody, and everything.
Apr 5, 2021 · 3 min
826. Posidonius talks about pain
Posidonius was once afflicted by severe pain, and yet invited Pompey to discuss philosophy. He said: “Pain, it is to no purpose; notwithstanding you are troublesome, I will never acknowledge you an evil.”
Apr 2, 2021 · 3 min
825. Dionysius the Renegade
Cicero tells the story of how Dionysius quit Stoicism because he was experiencing chronic pain, and how Cleanthes, the second head of the Stoa, chastised him for not understanding the Stoic take on the issue.
Apr 1, 2021 · 2 min
824. Epaminondas, one of the most excellent men who ever lived
Cicero refers to the story of the Theban general Epaminondas, who sacrificed his life to free his people from the Spartan yoke. If he was capable of that, surely we can withstand the pains and setbacks of ordinary life.
Mar 31, 2021 · 2 min
823. When Zeno bit the tyrant
Cicero tells the story of Zeno of Elea, a philosopher who withstood torture and faced death in order to overthrow tyranny. Remember that, the next time you complain about a toothache...
Mar 30, 2021 · 2 min
822. Pain and mental attitude
While physical pain may be inevitable, our mental attitude makes a significant difference — for better or worse, depending on how we choose to see things.
Mar 29, 2021 · 2 min
821. Better to be a sick person with integrity than a healthy lier
Health has value, and is therefore preferred in the Stoic system. However, it is not an intrinsic good, and if in order to stay healthy you have to cheat others, you should accept the chances that you might get sick.
Mar 26, 2021 · 2 min
820. How to learn to bear pain
Cicero suggests that getting used to one kind of discomfort or pain will allow us to more easily bear another kind. This is the basis for some modern Stoic exercises, like taking a cold shower.
Mar 25, 2021 · 2 min
819. The crucial importance of patience
I do not deny pain to be pain—for were that the case, in what would courage consist?—but I say it should be assuaged by patience, if there be such a thing as patience: if not, why do we speak so in praise of philosophy?
Mar 24, 2021 · 3 min
818. Courage vs pain
For the Epicureans virtue is instrumental in achieving ataraxia, a life of tranquillity. For the Stoics ataraxia is a byproduct, a result of the fact that the virtuous person can take on any challenge in life with a serene mind.
Mar 23, 2021 · 2 min
817. Should we ban the poets?
Poetry and fiction tug at our emotions. They are pleasant and powerful, but they may also be manipulative. While Plato's solution to ban poets is not a good idea, we should keep our critical sense on guard so not to be manipulated.
Mar 22, 2021 · 2 min
816. On bearing pain
I cannot allow the wise person to be so indifferent about pain. If they bear it with courage, it is sufficient. For pain is, beyond all question, sharp, bitter, against nature, hard to submit to and to bear.
Mar 19, 2021 · 2 min
815. Pleasure, pain, virtue
Cicero on Epicureanism: "What disgrace, what ignominy, would he not submit to that he might avoid pain, when persuaded that it was the greatest of evils?"