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The Art of Living Stoically

Seneca wholly rejects the idea that anger can coexist with virtue and
deconstructs the emotion by examining false judgments that cause individuals to
become inappropriately angry. He states that while anger may originate from
involuntary reactions, there must be consent of the will for the emotion to grow
and run riot. Therefore, conscious thoughts are essential to the experience of
anger and an area of agency though which anger can be suppressed or
magnified. An angry person may have thoughts that interpret the actions of
others negatively, wrongly distorting the intentions of another. As one cannot
truly know the thoughts of another, the angry person therefore wrongly turns an
innocent person in an enemy. Seneca asks us to have a frankness and
generosity in interpreting things! "#n Anger, $$% through self&reflection and the
process of universali'ing experience. (e ourselves would be less offended if we
recogni'ed that we committed the very same offenses. )urthermore, most people
are not perfect* Think of everything, expect everything+ even in good characters
some unevenness will appear! "#n Anger, $$%. To be angry is to have unrealistic
and hypocritical expectations for another, demanding perfection when there is
little to be found in ourselves. He asks us to consider other points of view and
reflect on whether we ourselves should benefit if all men were inexorable! "#n
Anger, $$%. Seneca offers a nuanced and generous view of human beings,
demanding self&reflection before criticism.
Additionally, he argues against any idea of righteous indignation because
the natural property of virtue is to rejoice and be glad! "#n Anger, $$%. $f wise
people were to feel angry or sad at all the wrongs in society, they would
persistently experience these demobili'ing and detrimental emotions. True
wisdom involves fully grasping the conditions of human life and reali'ing that no
sensible man becomes angry with nature "#n Anger, $$%. As nature is an
uncontrollable force that operates according to its own rules, one,s inner
condition can be seen as reflective of uncontrollable ills. Therefore, one should
view wrongdoers in a kindly way, as a physician views the sick because their
actions may not fully be in their control. $nterestingly, Seneca places greater
demands of responsibility and self&control on the reader rather than the
perpetrator of wrong. -erhaps he is evoking the greater wisdom that his readers
should aspire towards, that societal betterment begins with changing the self and
relating to others. Self&knowledge is a powerful preventative measure* you ought
to know what your weak spot is in order that you may especially protect it! "#n
Anger, $$$%. Anger is not aroused by a single perpetrator of wrong, but rather,
involves two people. (ithout an antagonist and a willful kindling of ire, anger
would not escalate and cause damage to both parties. Along the same line of
thinking, anger cannot possibly serve a greater good because once it is acted
upon, it becomes ungovernable. .nlike Aristotle, who argues that anger is
necessary in battle, Seneca asserts that anger does not submit to reason and
easily subverts the mental and physical training one has undergone.
(hile Seneca reflects on and integrates the philosophy of -lato and
Aristotle, there are significant differences in his approach. Seneca acknowledges
the realistic circumstances of life while trying to strive for the absolute good
through virtue and reason. He envisions the objective of philosophy to be the
promotion of harmony in human relationships and envisions human life to be
founded on kindness and concord, and is bound into an alliance for common
help, not by terror, but by mutual loves! "/pistles, $%. /ven so, he also
acknowledges that there are human failings even among the wisest
philosophers. .nlike -lato, he doesn,t believe that there are rare individuals who
perceive the larger reality of the universe and deserve to rule. 0ather, he
believes that the seed of human excellence exists in all human beings because
each has been granted with reason. /ven the lowliest slaves can have inner
worth independent of their positions in society. /ven though he holds up the
-latonic ideal of contemplating the universe, he believes that all men can achieve
this state under certain conditions* the mind is free from disturbance when it is
fully free to contemplate the universe, and nothing distracts it from the
contemplation of nature! "/pistles, 12$$%. The greatest good is achieved when
the spirit of individuals are wholly independent of external factors and centered
on reason alone. He contextuali'es the good life as part of everyday interactions
and habits rather than specifying political roles that people should have. 0ather
than being committed to the city, the Stoic also can carry his goods unimpaired
through cities that have been burned to ashes+ for he is self&sufficient! "/pistles,
$1%. (hile this particular passage expresses how Stoics have no need for
property since they carry their inner worth, it also expresses the ideal of
independence from the crowd.! Seneca frowns upon many popular beliefs and
fosters growth and contribution through friendships instead* (ithdraw into
yourself, as far as you can. Associate with those who will make a better man of
you. (elcome those whom you yourself can improve. The process is mutual+ for
men learn while they teach! "/pistles, 3$$%. These relationships are aimed toward
personal development and insight rather than deep attachment. 4iven that
humans are social beings, does Seneca have a conception of men in political
society or does he argue for a detachment from public life5
(hile Aristotle affirms many societal conventions, Seneca is critical of
many of these ideas, advocating instead for some withdrawal from society. (hile
Aristotle develops his ideas by expanding upon categories of characteristics,
Seneca elevates the days in which 6ustice was unknown to them, unknown
prudence, unknown also self&control and bravery+ but their rude life possessed
certain 7ualities akin to all these virtues! "12%. Seneca 7uestions the same
virtues that Aristotle triumphs, believing that a general condition of societal good
would be self&evident and natural, without need for categori'ation. He also
recogni'es, however, that this natural harmony is fragile, as 3irtue is not
vouchsafed to a soul unless that soul has been trained and taught, and by
unremitting practice brought to perfection.! "/pistles, 12% 2orresponding with
Aristotle,s ideas of action, virtue becomes embodied and steadfast in an
individual only when it has gone through various processes of learning, from
learning to practicing and reflecting. 8ike Socrates, Aristotle also asserts the
need for a guardian who is devoid of self&interest and rules by reason but does
not have much faith in man to fulfill this function. 0ather, he believes that laws
serve to unite society and bring out virtues in individuals. -lato, however, has a
more pessimistic view of laws as shadows of the truth that turn people away from
the essential nature of reality. 8ikewise, Seneca is critical of the legal system
within his society and doesn,t simply take it for granted as inherently necessary
for societal harmony. 0ather, in Seneca,s construction, individuals seem to be
guardians of themselves since they possess the seed of nature within them.
#ne,s lifetime can therefore be seen as a journey, striving to return to
one,s essential goodness. 0ather than laws, men should follow the general rule
to gather up your brief life and render it a peaceful one to yourself and all others!
"/pistles, $$$%. (hile one should strive toward daily improvement through deep
self&reflection, one should also give the mind peace* !it must not be tossed about,
it must not, as $ have said, be wearied by activity in many or great affairs, or by
attempting such as are beyond its powers! "#n Anger, $$$%. Seneca believes that
moments of repose are necessary to virtue and realistically envisions a life not
merely devoted to action, but also to reflection. (hile there is an absoluteness of
reason in Seneca,s conception of the ideal, he recogni'es realistic and
understandable human cognitions that prevent one from achieving this ideal.
-lato and Aristotle, on the other hand believe that human passions have a
beneficial place in society. )or -lato, the 4uardian should be ruled by reason
while other segments of society have passions that are beneficial to their
functions. (arriors, for example, should be spirited. Aristotle applies this
conception of passions to the individual, as each person has an appropriate
balance of various 7ualities. Seneca,s philosophy is nuanced while remaining
resolute about the primacy of reason in all individuals.
The part of Stoicism that most appeals to me is the constant pursuit of
living every moment with consciousness and excellence, or not needing a single
day beyond the present, and of not reckoning up the days that are ours+ in the
slightest possible moment of time virtue completes an eternity of good! "/pistles,
12$$%. The moment extends beyond the present to represent the totality of ones
life. $t is a work of art that can be sculpted moment to moment. A final 7uote that
particularly appealed to me was 9ou will come to your own when you shall
understand that those whom the world calls fortunate are really the most
unfortunate of all! "/pistles, 211$3%. (e should not compare ourselves to those
whom society regards as great, but rather possess an inner value system
through which we develop a sense of self worth and independence.
Questions:
:% How does Seneca maintain faith in human nature while recogni'ing its
failings5 How would he respond to the horrors all around us5 How was this myth
of good human natures developed5
;% Should one have a political life or be satisfied with an independent life5
<% (hat is the balance between repose and action, the internal and external life5
=% Should the Stoic try to change the conditions of society "slavery, for example%
or merely exist as virtuously as possible in these preconditions5 Seneca seems
to believe that individual virtue is enough. How do we reconcile behaving in a
way we believe with societal conventions5 (hat are the limitations to deviance5

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