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

Newest first

Nov 17, 2020 · 3 min
734. On the movement of the planets
The complex patterns drawn by the planets in the sky seem to indicate the existence of a higher intelligence. But of course modern physics has other ideas.
Nov 16, 2020 · 2 min
733. The cosmos is neither living nor endowed with mind
Cicero has one of his Stoic characters very explicitly state a notion about the nature of the cosmos that does not hold up to modern philosophical and scientific scrutiny.
Nov 13, 2020 · 3 min
732. Is the world wise?
Cicero summarizes a beautiful argument by the Stoics to the effect that the world itself is wise. Unfortunately, the argument is based on unsound premises, and its conclusion is incoherent.
Nov 12, 2020 · 2 min
731. Like from like, nothing from nothing
Zeno claimed that life can only come from life, and reason from reason, so he concluded that the universe was alive and endowed with reason. It's a beautiful idea, but one that has not withstood the test of modern science.
Oct 30, 2020 · 2 min
730. Zeno tries to demonstrate that the cosmos are capable of reason
Zeno of Citium puts forth a compact argument to conclude that the universe as a whole, as distinct from individual beings within the cosmos, reasons. But the argument is based on a fallacious premise.
Oct 29, 2020 · 3 min
729. Chrysippus accepts a faulty premise
Chrysippus, the third head of the Stoa, constructs an argument for the existence of god that is unsound, that is, based on a faulty premise.
Oct 28, 2020 · 3 min
728. Four (bad) arguments for the existence of the gods
Cleanthes, the second head of the Stoa, advances four bad arguments for the existence of the gods.
Oct 27, 2020 · 3 min
727. Two bad arguments for the existence of gods
We need to demystify the Stoics somewhat. We moderns should value and respect ancient wisdom, but not to the point of mindless worship. This episodes provides two pertinent examples.
Oct 26, 2020 · 2 min
726. Divination, anyone?
The ancient Stoics believed in divination. They were obviously mistaken about it. And yet the general principle they adopted was very much akin to the one underlying modern science.
Oct 23, 2020 · 2 min
725. Obviously, the universe is guided by an intelligence. Or is it?
We begin the study of book II of Cicero's On the Nature of the Gods, and we see that the Stoics begin with deploying what is nowadays known as an argument from design.
Oct 22, 2020 · 2 min
724. Look less critically at others, and a bit more critically at yourself
Do you look at other people’s pimples while yon yourselves are covered with countless ulcers?
Oct 21, 2020 · 2 min
723. Careful not to underestimate the power of Fortune
You are rendered over-proud by a fine house, as though it could never be burned, and your heads are turned by riches as though Fortune has not sufficient strength to swallow them up.
Oct 20, 2020 · 2 min
722. Ready for bad stuff to happen, but preferring the good stuff
I shall make whatever befalls me become a good thing, but I prefer that what befalls me should be comfortable and pleasant and unlikely to cause me annoyance.
Oct 19, 2020 · 2 min
721. Be at ease wherever you find yourself
A Stoic finds herself at ease both in a fancy house where food is served on silver plates and under the bridge sharing the fare with beggars.
Oct 16, 2020 · 2 min
720. Why wealth is not a good
Riches, I say, are not a good thing; for if they were, they would make people good: now since that which is found even among bad people cannot be termed good, I do not allow them to be called so.
Oct 15, 2020 · 2 min
719. People's social status doesn't matter
Nature bids me do good to mankind. Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a benefit.
Oct 14, 2020 · 2 min
718. On rational giving
He who believes giving to be an easy matter, is mistaken: it offers very great difficulties, if we bestow our bounty rationally, and do not scatter it impulsively and at random.
Oct 13, 2020 · 3 min
717. No one condemned wisdom to poverty
The philosopher may own wealth, but will not own wealth that has been torn from another, or which is stained with another’s blood: her must be obtained without wronging anyone, and without it being won by base means.
Oct 12, 2020 · 2 min
716. On the desirability of wealth
Do not, then, make any mistake: riches belong to the class of desirable things. But if my riches leave me, they will carry away with them nothing except themselves.
Oct 9, 2020 · 2 min
715. Tall or short, it doesn't matter
Health, for Aristotle, is a necessary requirement for a eudaimonic life. For the Stoics, it is preferred, other things being equal, but a life worth living is within grasp of everyone, regardless of their specific condition.