Stoa Conversations: Stoicism Applied

(00:11) Scott Aikin

(03:35) Massimo Pigliucci

(05:08) Donald Robertson

(07:09) Brittany Polat

(10:29) Tim Lebon

(14:34) Chris Gill

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

Register for a free workshop January 3rd: stoameditation.com/workshop

Are New Year’s resolutions Stoic?

Caleb and Michael talk about the Stoic cases for and against the practice. Then they move to what we can learn from the Stoics about setting resolutions well.

(01:41) Against Resolutions

(09:44) The Case For Resolutions

(18:47) Making New Year’s Resolutions Well

(24:14) Getting Concrete

(26:55) Realistic and Ambitious

(33:14) Stoic Principles

(37:25) Michael's Planning

(40:09) Caleb Is Too Impulsive

(45:50) Summary

(49:54) Stoicism Applied

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Learn more about our new year’s course: stoameditation.com/course

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

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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 Aiste Celkyte about the Stoic theory of beauty. They cover what the Stoics saw as beautiful, how their aesthetics expresses their ethics, and the practical application of this neglected topic.

Aiste Celkyte is a professor at the university of Leiden and author of The Stoic Theory of Beauty.

(00:57) What Is Beautiful For The Stoics?

(06:51) Ancient Sources

(09:55) What Makes Stoicism Different

(18:18) Beauty And Morality

(28:00) Practical Application

(30:43) Convential Beautfy

(39:24) Moral Responsibility

(43:33) The Most Important Insight

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Learn more about our new year’s course: stoameditation.com/course

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/

Start the year with others looking to apply Stoicism to our life. Join our 3-week intensive course: https://stoameditation.com/course

The Stoics are always reminding us to improve ourselves now. But how do you actually do that? What advice do they have for us? Caleb and Michael discuss a simple 3 step approach to procrastination we can glean from the ancient Roman Stoics.

(03:33) The Stoic Solution to Procrastination 

(08:42) Marcus Aurelius on Procrastination

(12:16) Putting Off Writing

(15:01) Directness

(28:28) Motivating Yourself With Philosophy

(36:39) The Virtues

(39:24) Trust

(46:09) Putting It All Together

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Learn more about our new year’s course: stoameditation.com/course

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 Rob LaFleur, Professor of Anthropology & History at Beloit College and teacher of The Great Courses Books That Matter: The Analects of Confucius.

Stoics care about virtue and role ethics – two things central to Confucianism. Understanding the similarities and differences between the two philosophies can only enrich one’s philosophical theory and practice.

But going directly to the Confucian works is difficult. Conversations with experts like Professor LaFleur then are essential.

https://www.beloit.edu/live/profiles/270-robert-lafleur

(07:47) Understanding The Analects

(14:19) Reading Passages From The Analects

(21:32) Virtue Ethics

(28:34) Relationships

(36:34) Hierarchy

(44:42) Filial Piety

(50:18) Grieving

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Learn more about our new year’s course: stoameditation.com/course

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/

Caleb and Michael debate the role of politics in the modern Stoic life. Caleb argues that Stoics should stay away from politics – like the Epicureanism. Michael thinks this couldn’t be any more wrong. Heated, if Stoic, debated ensues.

(05:18) Arguments Against Politics

(25:49) The Wisdom of Epicurus

(33:52) Justice Without Politics

(37:57) The Stoic Case for Politics

(51:33) The Norms for Engaging Well

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Learn more about our new year’s course: stoameditation.com/course

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 episode, Caleb speaks with Mahmoud Rasmi, a former philosophy professor from Lebanon, on philosophy, business, and the importance of asking questions well.

Philosophy for Business Leaders: https://amzn.to/3NeQ7gi

https://twitter.com/Decafquest

(03:04) Getting Into Philosophy

(12:26) Losing Your Business

(14:11) Philosophy vs Critical Thinking

(25:23) Are Philosophers The Best Thinkers?

(32:09) Getting Down to Business

(38:46) Asking Questions

(48:49) Leaving Academic Philosophy

(54:44) Shifting Perspective

(58:22) Stoa

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Register for our freeworkshop: stoameditation.com/workshop

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: stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

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

Caleb and Michael engage in a discussion on Existentialism, explaining its essence, distinguishing it from Stoicism, and extracting valuable insights.

Michael underscores the significance of authenticity, while Caleb highlights the ideas of bad faith and radical freedom.

(02:20) Existentialism

(18:20) Stoicism vs Existentialism

(32:17) Existentialism for Stoics

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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/

For episode 100, Caleb and Michael discuss Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations 2.1.

Thank you for listening. Send us a note at [email protected] if you ever have any comments, questions, or requests.

(03:01) Reading 2.1

(04:32) Praemediatio Malorum

(09:44) Dealing With Others

(17:15) Seeing Goodness

(24:46) No One Can Harm Us

(27:15) Overcoming Anger

(36:16) Working With Others

(41:44) The Obstacle is the Way

(44:40) Summary

(47:14) One Hundred Episodes

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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/

Caleb and Michael talk about forgiveness and clemency. How does the Stoic idea of forgiveness differ from the popular account – and when should we pardon other’s wrongdoing or address it head on?

(01:16) What Is Forgiveness?

(15:59) The Stoic Account

(25:00) Forgive Everyone At Once

(28:18) Clemency

(35:10) Is Clemency Only A Tool For The Strong?

(45:07) Challenges

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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/