Stoa Conversations: Stoicism Applied

The philosopher and the general. Stoic philosophy in ancient Roman history.

In this podcast, Caleb speaks with Alex Petkas about Pompey and Posidonius – the great Roman general and his Stoic mentor.

Both of their lives were epic in the greatest sense. They carry lessons for applying Stoic emotion management, cosmopolitanism, and, even, inquiry into the natural world.

https://costofglory.com/

(01:27) Seneca on Posidonius

(03:28) The World of Posidonius

(12:35) The Roman Civil War

(15:59) Pompey Meets Posidonius

(19:08) Stoic Cosmopolitanism in Action

(26:12) Paying Respects to the Philosopher

(31:04) The Rest of Pompey's Story

(32:14) Pompey's Stoic and Non-Stoic Attributes

(43:48) Posidonius on the Divine

(53:06) Fate Willing

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Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

“Show me a man who is not a slave; one is a slave to lust, another to greed, another to ambition.”

– Seneca

In this conversation, Michael and Caleb discuss how Stoics think about ambition. What does healthy ambition look like? The unhealthy kind? How do you navigate between the two? 

Caleb and Michael talk through the Stoic tradition’s answers to these questions.

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

In this Stoa Conversation, Michael Tremblay speaks to Brian Johnson about Stoic roles ethics, methods of teaching, and how martial arts.

The start with the question: does martial arts improve character? What about other forms of physical training?

They then move to Stoic Role Ethics, especially the role ethics of Epictetus.

The Role Ethics of Epictetus

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

What advice do the Stoics have for managing social anxiety?

In this conversation, Caleb Ontiveros and Michael Tremblay talk about Epictetus on anxiety – and how his advice for dissolving anxiety can be applied to social situations.

(03:29) Epictetus On Anxiety

(13:13) You Will Not Have Anxiety If You Do This

(23:42) Learning From Experience

(26:36) Epictetus On How To Make It Happen

(34:40) Why Is It Weird To Treat Social Skills Like A Craft?

(38:34) Focus On What Is Up To You

(47:14) Summarizing Epictetus On Anxiety

(48:22) Epictetus's Two Handles

(51:35) Learning From Negative Feelings

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

How should modern Stoics understand the relationship between the mind and the body?

In this conversation, Caleb Ontiveros and Marcus Hedahl discuss Stoicism and the mind-body connection. They walk through issues of theory and practice that the tight bond between our minds and bodies brings up.

This episode has both significant practical upshots and takes a few detours into theory on the way. Let us know what you think.

(04:18) The Body Influences the Mind

(11:23) Your Body Is Not Up to You

(13:33) Independence

(36:21) There's No Separation

(46:04) Getting Theoretical About Lekta

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

“Although we don’t often recognise it, the 21st century is a transhuman era, where everything that currently makes us human, from our brains and bodies, to our values and ways of life, is poised to be transformed or superseded.”

In this episode, Caleb and Michael consider a contemporary philosophical issue through the lens of Stoicism.

Transhumanism is the idea that humans should use technology to radically enhance human capabilities, lifespan, and experience. So, what do Stoics have to say about it?

Caleb argues that they should be largely in favor of it – with some serious qualifications.

Classical Transhumanism, essay from Caleb

Future Superhuman by Elise Bohan

(02:12) Future Superhuman

(12:54) Objections to Transhumanism

(19:35) Human Nature And Stoicism

(32:22) Warning From The Stoics

(38:53) Moderation Is A Virtue

(40:01) Transcendence

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

In this conversation, Caleb speaks with Donald Robertson about Marcus Aurelius. They dive into what we know about the man and the critical episodes of his life. Donald shares his thoughts on the Marcomannic wars, whether Marcus Aurelius ordered the assassination of one of his top generals, and why he appointed Commodus as his successor. 

They end by discussing the central role that Stoicism and Stoic practices played in Marcus Aurelius’s life.

Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

How To Think Like A Roman Emperor

Donald Robertson’s Substack

(00:45) Changing Mind

(07:29) Commodus / Different Views of History

(16:58) Marcomannic Wars

(33:42) What Marcus Aurelius Didn't Say

(40:50) Stoicism in Marcus Aurelius's Life

(49:41) Avidius Cassius

(01:01:18) Marcus Aurelius and Stoic Practices

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

“Everything has two handles, and it may be carried by one of these handles, but not by the other.”

In this conversation, Caleb and Michael talk about these lines from Epictetus.

They talk about how it points the way towards Stoic creativity, offensive and defensive Stoicism ,and role ethics. It’s a simple passage with a lot of depth.

(00:31) Epictetus

(05:05) Creativity in Stoicism

(12:31) Stop Shutting Down

(20:56) A Better Interpretation

(33:54) Marcus Aurelius

(44:00) The Handbook

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

In this podcast, Caleb speaks with professor Rob Colter.

Rob has extensive experience teaching Stoicism in camps, universities, and prisons.

He talks about the powerful idea of Stoic freedom, how he’s seen Stoicism make a difference in people’s lives, and why he calls himself a Socratic.

Learn more about Wyoming Stoic Camp here.

(00:51) Stoicism

(03:49) Rationality

(09:10) The Central Idea: Freedom

(21:34) Teaching Stoicism

(27:06) How Stoicism Changes Lives

(33:32) Role Ethics

(35:28) Underrated Stoic Ideas

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

“A Stoic is a Buddhist with attitude”

How do you not just survive in chaos, but benefit from it?

In this podcast, Caleb and Michael review Nassim Taleb’s book “Antifragile.” In it, Taleb describes a Stoic philosophy grounded in the realities of randomness and practice.

They talk about how ideas from this book have impacted them – and the questions of theory and practice that remain.

(06:43) Antifragility

(25:55) The Barbell Strategy

(37:22) Skin In The Game

(45:40) Stoic Skin In The Game

(47:04) How Stoic Is This Book?

(53:23) Different Kinds Of Lives

(01:01:41) The Greek vs Roman Stoics

(01:06:47) The Philosopher King

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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/