August 30, 2025

Should Stoics Care About The Environment?

21 minutes

In this episode I explore the Stoic perspective on the environment — how we should think about our roles and responsibilities toward nature, and whether caring for the natural world is a Stoic duty or an indulgence in trying to control what we cannot. Along the way, I share examples of real-world environmental issues, discuss the balance between regulation and freedom, and outline some practical ways we can each live “according to Nature” in our daily lives.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

— Asking “What would the Sage do?” helps us check our impulses and aim for wiser decisions about environmental responsibility.

— For Stoics, the environment is not just scenery — it is literally part of Nature (capital N), the divine order of the cosmos, and therefore worthy of our care.

— Global warming and climate breakdown are indifferents, but how we choose to respond to them can be virtuous or vicious.

— Individual action matters, even if small, but systemic issues like over-commercialization and corporate pollution require collective attention and regulation.

— Living according to Nature means balancing gratitude for what we already have with responsible choices that support sustainability and justice.

For an ad-free version of this podcast please visit https://stoicismpod.com/members

For links to other valuable Stoic things, please visit https://links.stoicismpod.com

If you'd like to provide feedback on this episode, or have question, you may do so as a member. Email sent by non-members will not be answered (though they may be read). This isn't punitive, I just cannot keep up. Limiting access to members reduces my workload. You're always invited to leave a comment on Spotify, member or not.

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...more

View all episodes

By Evergreen Podcasts

4.8

633633 ratings