One of the topics that I have found really interesting in my reading is the philosophy of Stoicism. I was first introduced to stoicism by finding Ryan Holiday’s book The Obstacle is the way. I wont talk about that book in this specific post, but I will probably bring it up in later posts because it really is helpful in getting a different view on the concepts of stoicism. Currently, I will primarily stick with Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. I personally got the copy that has a foreword from Gregory Hays who is an associate professor of classics at the University of Virginia. His foreword is rather helpful since it gives a general background and other needed information to start to understand the Marcus’s point of view. Below is just a link to the Amazon page of the copy that I have, there are many other copies, some with or without forewords. If you already know a lot about Stoicism, you probably already have this book. If you are new to Stoicism like I am, then the foreword really helps with some context as I states above.
Quick notes about Marcus Aurelius
Marcus never really thought of himself as a philosopher, more of just a diligent student who did his best to practice the concepts of stoicism in his daily life. Some of the surviving legislation from the time period suggests that he was interested in freeing the some of the slaves in the empire as well as some regulations related to the guardianship of orphans. Marcus Aurelius was the Roman emperor from 161 to 180, and from most of what I could find, his Meditations is dated back to the last decade of his life in the 170s. During this time he had to cope with continual fighting on the outskirts of the empire, one of his major generals Cassius starting a revolt, as well as the death of his wife and a couple close colleagues. Those events would seem to test anyone who had to deal with them.
Stoicism foundations
Stoicism seems to have this unwavering belief that the world is organized in a rational way. It is also believed that there is a force called Logos that sort of permeates the universe. This Logos controls individuals as well as the universe as a whole and in context, seems to be synonymous with nature, providence or even god. Stoicism started in Athens, and in its early days it was more of a speculative theory that aimed to embrace all knowledge. However, when the romans took over Greece, they adopted Stoicism as more of a practical discipline and an attitude towards life.
Three disciplines of stoicism
Stoicism is based off of three underlying disciplines: perception, action, and will. Perception requires a person to remain completely objective and to see things for what they are. In this way, it is not the object or event that is the problem for us, it is our perception of the object or event that causes the problem. Action deals more with our relationship with others. In stoicism, nature, the logos, is fundamentally unselfish; therefore, people were made for others, not for ourselves. Basically, we treat other people justly as an individual, but we must work for their collective good. The discipline of will is similar to that of action but is more about things that are not within our control. It is believed that things outside of our control are incapable of causing us harm, and if we do something wrong, then we have harmed ourselves. Acts of wrongdoing harm the person who has committed the action, not the victim of the action. This leads to something known as the Socratic Paradox which states that no one can do wrong willingly, and people would inevitably do what is right if they were able to recognize it. Some of these ideas pull in all three disciplines, and further explanations will have to wait for later posts. This post is meant to be a general overview, and I will try to explain and go more in depth at a later time.
Structure of Meditations
Marcus’s meditations was not written to be published. It seems evident that he never meant for anyone else to read it. It seemed to be an outlet for Marcus’s thoughts and a way for him to reinforce his personal philosophical practices. I would say that it is rather similar to the Bible in structure, multiple books comprised of verses. However, its similarities to the superficial extent end at the general structure of the work. There are times when Marcus’s thoughts feel really depressing, but it always seems to be written in such a way that provokes deep thought. It does not have a continuous storyline, as it seems more like Marcus wrote down his philosophical thoughts as went through his days. Almost as if it were a way for him to cope with his situations and practice his values.
End notes
There is one saying from stoic literature that really sticks with me personally. I got it from Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle is the Way, but I can not remember the original source. I actually have it written on a Post-It note and placed it on the wall above my desk and sometimes write it in my habit journal in the mornings. It goes as follows,z
See things for what they are
Do what we can
Endure and bare what we must
What blocked the path now is the path
What impeded action advances action
The obstacle is the way.
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Again, this really helps me get through the day sometimes, especially with school. As a physics major, a typically day involves about 12 hours a school work and also about 4 hours in a lab, or reading. With stress and all the typical things that come along with school and work, sometimes just the first line about seeing things for what they are really helps you chill out and realize what is actually important in your life. I am very new to the concepts of stoicism, but I think that they really help see the world from a better point of view. I will post further thoughts and explanations in later posts as I continue to learn more about stoicism and how it effects my life.
To your wealth and future,
James Forsythe
