Applying ancient philosophy to modern life
Stoicism is an ancient school of philosophy founded in Athens in the 3rd century BC. It is a practical philosophy, intended as a guide for how to live one’s life. The Stoics stressed that we have no control over what happens in our lives, only control over our perceptions. They advocated living one’s life in accordance with nature (not “nature” as in grass and trees, but “nature” as in the order of the universe). By concentrating one’s thoughts and choices on what is good and virtuous, and disregarding the “indifferent” distractions of everyday life, one can avoid negative emotions like fear, anger, grief, and frustration, and live a life of happiness and tranquility.
In recent years, there has been a burgeoning resurgence in Stoicism, with modern writers producing manuals on how to apply Stoic principles to life in today’s world, such as William B. Irvine’s A Guide to the Good Life. Along similar lines, Stoicism Today is a blog published out of the University of Exeter in England, edited and largely written by a team of British philosophers. This 2014 book, edited by Patrick Ussher, is the first volume of writings reprinted from the blog. 36 articles are included in the collection, covering a mixed bag of Stoic-related topics.
The collection starts out strong with essays summarizing and explaining the core concepts of Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca. These ancient Roman writers are the most prominent Stoics whose teachings survive today. The 21st-century writers clarify the ancient Stoic precepts and discuss their applicability to modern life. Though the bloggers hold PhDs in philosophy and command a thorough understanding of their subject, they do a great job of expressing these complex concepts in language that is accessible to the general reader, without dumbing down the subject matter.
While the first half of the book provides a good, broad education on Stoicism, the second half covers a diverse assortment of topics and perspectives. A section called “Life Stories” consists of accounts by people of various walks of life on how they use Stoicism in their daily lives and work, including a lawyer, a doctor, and a woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury. The most fascinating and inspiring story is that of Sam Sullivan, a quadriplegic who became mayor of Vancouver. Next is a section on how Stoicism can be applied to parenthood and the education of children. This is followed by a section on Stoicism and psychotherapy which will mostly appeal to psychiatric professionals, as it will likely be over the head of most general readers. Three articles deal with the concept of Stoic “mindfulness” and its relation or lack of relation to Buddhism. Finally, the book falls apart somewhat with its final section on Stoicism in popular culture. It includes an excerpt from a Stoicism-infused novel about prison inmates which is OK, but also a sample chapter from a horrible science fiction novel. The book’s final selection is a pretty good examination of the portrayal of Stoicism in the Star Trek television series.
This collection by its very nature is a hodgepodge, and the selections vary greatly in quality as well as subject matter. The core team of philosophers are good writers for the most part, but the ensemble cast of guest bloggers is hit and miss. Nevertheless, if you’ve read all the Stoic classics and are looking for further advice on how to put Stoicism into practice, you’re bound to find something here that will interest you.
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Ancient wisdom for modern times
Philosophy ain’t what it used to be. While today’s philosophers tend to be highly specialized in esoteric realms of thought that bear little relevance on our everyday activities, there was a time when the purpose of philosophy was simply to make people’s lives better. Philosophical schools provided their students with much needed guidance in making decisions, setting priorities, and achieving goals. One such school was the Stoics of ancient Greece and Rome, whose teachings survive today in the writings of Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Musonius Rufus. In his 2009 book A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy, author William B. Irvine argues that citizens of the modern world need a philosophy of life now more than ever. Most of us wander through our lives aimlessly with screwed-up priorities, longing for a happiness that never comes. To continue wandering aimlessly is futile, and for those seeking direction, Irvine urges readers to let the Stoics be their guide.
Stoicism asserts that the key to living a good life is achieving tranquility, a state in which negative emotions like anger, grief, and worry are replaced by positive emotions of joy and contentment. This tranquility comes not from without but within. We can achieve it by modifying our perceptions, desires, and goals, and living in accordance with nature. Through diligent rational thought and self-examination we can teach ourselves not to worry about things that are out of our control and to appreciate what we have rather than pursuing one insatiable desire after another. Irvine provides practical and useful exercises for accomplishing this. I’m oversimplifying Stoicism for the purpose of this review, but rest assured that Irvine does not. He gives a thorough overview of Stoic thought, its history and its main precepts. He ingeniously explains how the wisdom of these ancient philosophers is still meaningful to us today. For example, the Stoics wrote much about the ancient punishment of exile. While few us are likely to face that sentence in the 21st century, Irvine insightfully relates it to the exile most of us will eventually face when banished to a nursing home. He also explains why Stoic teachings are still valid in a world where modern scientific discoveries like the theory of evolution have replaced the Stoic conception of God or Zeus.
Philosophical purists may quibble with Irvine’s take on Stoicism, emphasizing the ways in which his interpretation differs from the teachings of the classical masters. There is some truth to that—even Irvine admits it—but the fact is, if there is a resurgence of interest in Stoic thought among the general reading public, it will largely be due to this excellent book. Irvine’s writing is impeccably articulate throughout. He explains Stoicism in a way that’s easily accessible for novices, yet allows those familiar with the classical philosophers to see their work in a whole new light. In recent years, there seems to be a plethora of philosophy books aimed at the nonphilosopher. Most of them relate philosophy to popular culture, but a few, like Irvine’s, focus on the application of philosophy to life in the modern world. What sets Irvine apart from these other authors is that he states his case without a trace of “Aren’t I clever?” His prose is utterly devoid of egotism and condescension, as a true Stoic’s should be. When he’s required to talk about his own experiences with Stoicism, he’s almost apologetic about it. Irvine seems genuinely sincere in his desire to help people better their lives, and with this book he is quite successful toward that end. It provides an excellent road map for anyone interested in engaging in the practice of Stoicism. A Guide to the Good Life is easily one of my top five favorite nonfiction books of the last decade. I highly recommend it to anyone—theist or atheist alike—who’s seeking answers for a happier life.
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A helpful primer for the philosophically challenged
In The Consolations of Philosophy, published in 2000, Swiss-British thinker Alain de Botton examines the ways in which teachings from the canon of Western philosophy can be used to combat, or at least alleviate, the problems and worries of 21st-century life. The book is broken down into six chapters, each devoted to a specific worry—unpopularity, financial distress, frustration, inadequacy, romantic woes, and a catch-all chapter on life’s difficulties in general. As consolation for these ills, de Botton prescribes the teachings of Socrates, Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche, respectively. De Botton provides a brief biography of each philosopher, describing the hardships faced by each in his own life, how these personal difficulties influenced the development of their individual philosophies, and how the reader of today can benefit from those same philosophical ideas by applying them to their own problems. Along the way, de Botton gives pithy encapsulations of the thought of these six illustrious thinkers, liberally sprinkled with quotes from their work. He does a very admirable job of summarizing these big ideas in clear and simple language, devoid of philosophical jargon, that is not only accessible but also entertaining to the general reader.
For those uninitiated into the reading of philosophy and perhaps even intimidated by it, this book would make a great introduction to the subject and a persuasive argument for the relevance of philosophy to daily life. The problem, of course, is how do you get those unfamiliar with philosophy to read this book in the first place. If you’re the type of reader who’s willing to tackle a book with the word Philosophy in the title, and you’ve even heard of Alain de Botton, then you probably already have an interest in the field, in which case you will most likely find that this book inspires a profound “Duh.” Those who already appreciate the teachings of the worthy philosophers chosen for inclusion will make few new discoveries here. De Botton’s lively and engaging prose and knack for selecting interesting biographical anecdotes rescues this book from becoming another Philosophy for Dummies, yet it still amounts to little more than a secular Chicken Soup for the Soul. For those who are already well aware of the consolations of philosophy, it serves much the same function as a book of well-chosen quotations or aphorisms, in that some pleasant comfort is derived from reviewing the main thrust of these philosophers’ teachings as de Botton has rendered them in a nutshell.
De Botton is to be commended for attempting to popularize philosophy and remind us all of the relevance of philosophical inquiry to our daily lives. This book reads like a preface to a larger body of work devoted to this mission, hopefully to be followed up by more penetrating works on specific issues. His 2012 book Religion for Atheists, for example, is a more intellectually challenging and originally argued book that presents a more focused argument for the relevance of philosophy. The Consolations of Philosophy is far more simplistic, but if it finds its proper audience it will prove a rewarding and enlightening read.
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Every sentence an aphorism
Although not the most original philosopher to ever bear the designation of Stoic, Seneca is most likely the best writer that school ever produced. His works are far more accessible to the general reader than the more analytical writings of Epictetus or even the more personal reflections of Marcus Aurelius. Seneca had a true gift with words, which when brought out by a skilled translator results in beautiful, inspirational prose. The translation by Robin Campbell in the Penguin Classics edition is excellent; the book reads like butter. Some of Seneca’s contemporary critics complained that every line he wrote was a motto, and they were not far from the truth. Almost every sentence in this book could be singled out and quoted as “words to live by.”
The basic message of Stoicism that Seneca presents here is profound and vital. The key to a happy life is to live in accordance with nature. This is accomplished by training yourself not to desire more than you have and to learn to be content with what comes to you. Govern your emotions with reason, resign yourself to fate, and free yourself from the attachments of your desires. This includes not only the extravagance with which society distracts us from nature, or the obviously harmful excesses of food and drink, but even the attachment to your own life. Only by conquering your fear of death can you experience true freedom and live a life of quality.
While Seneca states the basic concepts of Stoicism in clear and engaging language, he doesn’t offer much original thought here. For those deeply interested in Stoic philosophy, these works may act as a supplement to those of Epictetus, but they are certainly no substitute. Even comparing them to Seneca’s own works, these letters do not measure up to his deeper dialogues and essays. An obvious problem, common to many Stoic works, is the lack of organization and haphazard hopping from one subject to the next, which precludes an in-depth investigation into any particular topic. Another problem is the frequent digression from philosophical instruction. Oftentimes Seneca avoids specific philosophical ideas and merely sounds off generally on the value of philosophy (by which he means Stoicism) in improving people’s lives. Many of the letters are light on philosophy altogether, but do have historical value. For example, Seneca gives us an insider’s glimpse into aspects of Roman life such as the gladiatorial games and slavery, and relates interesting anecdotes about Socrates, Cato, and various Emperors. Although all the digressions are filtered through Seneca’s uniquely Stoic lens, I found some of the wanderings too far afield for my liking. Though I enjoyed the 42 letters that Campbell has collected here, I can’t say I’m eager to get my hands on a complete edition of the 124 letters any time soon.
Despite my reservations, any Stoic text is an important text, Seneca’s more than most. The ancient wisdom is invaluable, and Penguin has done it justice in this volume.
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