The Philosophy of the Stoics among the Romand and Greeks
UC 310 Dr.Finn
Stoicism
The philosophy of the Stoics played a central role in developing the ideals of the Roman ruling classes. This philosophy emerged in Greece in the early 3rd century B.C. with the thought of Zeno, a native of Citium on the island of Cyprus. He and his followers, such as Cleanthes, took their name from the colonnade, or covered porch, in the agora (marketplace) in Athens. These philosophers and their followers were given to strolling in this colonnade, or “stoa,” discussing ideas; hence, they took the name “Stoics.” Zeno himself was interested in metaphysics—speculation about the ultimate nature of reality—and logic: his ethical thought developed as a corollary of this interest. He spurred a tradition that would eventually pass westward to Rome in the Hellenistic age. Roman thinkers deepened and refocused the Stoic tradition: they were interested less in metaphysics than in ethics: living one’s life in harmony with the good.
Stoic ethical thought is grounded in reflection upon the nature of the universe, which depends upon a particular view of divinity. Hence, in many ways, Stoicism can be seen as a form of personal religion as much as it can be understood as a philosophy. The Roman thinkers, following their Greek predecessors, referred to the divine in a number of dimensions: Nature = Reason = Spirit = Divine Logos = God. All of these are ways of talking about ultimate reality, if a particular Stoic went through the entire equation I offer above; most, but not all did. This notion of “God” should not be confused with monotheism of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition. The Stoic concept is often better seen as a spiritual interpretation of the material universe. The Logos is seen as a supra-rational reality that is infused throughout the cosmos. The discussion of these dimensions below is offered to show how they cohere, and at times, diverge. Some Roman Stoics were materialists while others saw a supernatural
Stoicism
The philosophy of the Stoics played a central role in developing the ideals of the Roman ruling classes. This philosophy emerged in Greece in the early 3rd century B.C. with the thought of Zeno, a native of Citium on the island of Cyprus. He and his followers, such as Cleanthes, took their name from the colonnade, or covered porch, in the agora (marketplace) in Athens. These philosophers and their followers were given to strolling in this colonnade, or “stoa,” discussing ideas; hence, they took the name “Stoics.” Zeno himself was interested in metaphysics—speculation about the ultimate nature of reality—and logic: his ethical thought developed as a corollary of this interest. He spurred a tradition that would eventually pass westward to Rome in the Hellenistic age. Roman thinkers deepened and refocused the Stoic tradition: they were interested less in metaphysics than in ethics: living one’s life in harmony with the good.
Stoic ethical thought is grounded in reflection upon the nature of the universe, which depends upon a particular view of divinity. Hence, in many ways, Stoicism can be seen as a form of personal religion as much as it can be understood as a philosophy. The Roman thinkers, following their Greek predecessors, referred to the divine in a number of dimensions: Nature = Reason = Spirit = Divine Logos = God. All of these are ways of talking about ultimate reality, if a particular Stoic went through the entire equation I offer above; most, but not all did. This notion of “God” should not be confused with monotheism of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition. The Stoic concept is often better seen as a spiritual interpretation of the material universe. The Logos is seen as a supra-rational reality that is infused throughout the cosmos. The discussion of these dimensions below is offered to show how they cohere, and at times, diverge. Some Roman Stoics were materialists while others saw a supernatural