Massimo Pigliucci
1) A handbook for new Stoics: how to thrive in a world out of your control : 52 week-by-week lessons
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
Stress often comes from situations that are beyond our control. But we can control our response to these everyday tensions through the wisdom and practice of Stoicism, an ancient pragmatic philosophy that teaches us to step back, gain perspective, and act with intention.The authors provide 52 week-by-week lessons to help us apply timeless Stoic teachings to modern life.
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
How should we live? According to philosopher and biologist Massimo Pigliucci, the greatest guidance to this essential question lies in combining the wisdom of 24 centuries of philosophy with the latest research from 21st century science.In Answers for Aristotle, Pigliucci argues that the combination of science and philosophy first pioneered by Aristotle offers us the best possible tool for understanding the world and ourselves. As Aristotle knew,...
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
Recent polls suggest that fewer than 40 percent of Americans believe in Darwin's theory of evolution, despite it being one of science's best-established findings. Parents still refuse to vaccinate their children for fear it causes autism, though this link has been consistently disproved. And about 40 percent of Americans believe that the threat of global warming is exaggerated, including many political leaders.
In this era of fake news and alternative...
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Distilled to its essence, the ancient Greco-Roman philosophy known as Stoicism is a philosophy of personal betterment. Professor Pigliucci, who knows first-hand just how transformative a Stoic approach to life can be, has designed these 25 lessons as an enlightening introduction to the basics of Stoic philosophy and ways to incorporate its lessons into your own life.
For example, the Stoic understanding of ethics was far broader than the study of...
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Now, turn to highlights from the next four chapters of Meditations. You'll consider the Stoic sense of duty, an analogy involving vineyards that captures our desire for praise and our fear of criticism, the inevitability of change, the lust for fame, and other human traits.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Marcus Aurelius's mastery of Stoic philosophy helped him navigate frontier wars, a rebellion, and a plague. Examine the first four chapters of Meditations, which describe exercises in gratitude and contemplations on adversity and death. His most interesting -- and misunderstood -- idea was: "The universe is transformation; life is opinion."
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
The ancient Stoics used a number of metaphors to get their points across, including the metaphor of the garden, whose elements were physics, ethics, and logic. Here, compare how Aristotle and the Stoics thought of logic, and use a story that dates back to the 2nd century BCE to see how Stoic epistemology and psychology are intertwined.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Do Stoics move through life with stiff upper lips? Is Stoicism all about suppressing emotions? Can Stoicism help make you rich and famous? Here, look at some of the common misconceptions about Stoicism, how they diverge from the philosophy's intent, and what we can learn from them.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
First, examine the categories into which Stoics divided emotions: involuntary emotional reactions, reactive emotions (like fear), and positive emotions (such as joy). Afterward, turn to what Seneca says about anger, which the Stoics considered the quintessential example of a negative emotion, and uncover an anger management exercise that has helped people for millennia.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Explore in detail some of the 124 letters Seneca wrote in his last years to his friend Lucilius, which offer an informal curriculum on Stoic philosophy. Through these writings, you'll consider eye-opening thoughts on managing time, on the high standards of friendships, on feeling joy, on judging others, and on coming to terms with death.
11) Think like a Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Today's World: How Stoics Bear Responsibility and Conflict
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
We all play different roles throughout our lives, each of which naturally produces conflict, such as, the role of parent or friend. Learn how to recognize the call for different roles in your life by following four criteria laid down by Epictetus, including considering your social relations and listening for a "divine" sign.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Human beings are eminently social creatures; we have no choice but to negotiate relationships with other human beings. Explore the Stoic discipline of action through exercises that train you how to "keep your peace of mind in mind," how to deal with insults, how to handle difficult people, and more.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Epictetus is a practical, humorous, no-nonsense philosopher. Get to know this ancient Stoic through the first volume of the Discourses, a major treatise on Stoic philosophy written by one of his most illustrious students. Explore, specifically, Stoic views on cosmopolitanism: the notion that we are all members of the same cosmopolis, or world-city.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Examine what is arguably the most important part of Stoic philosophy: ethics. How do we differentiate between ancient and modern conceptions of what is ethical? How do we define the cardinal virtues of practical wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance, and how can we translate them into everyday practice today?
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
In this final episode, unpack four examples of personal crises in contemporary life that reveal just how helpful Stoicism can be in guiding our everyday thoughts and practices. What can you learn from a struggling adult child, a home-maintenance mishap, a tormented married couple, and a father's terminal illness?
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Why would anyone living today wish to become a Stoic? Professor Pigliucci answers this question by comparing Stoicism with three other philosophies of life you've probably heard of: Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. He then reveals how his own practice of Stoicism has helped him in his life.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
How can we best practice Stoicism during times of turmoil in our lives? This episode describes the last four chapters of Meditations. Explore how not to catastrophize, how to be mindful of labels, and how to practice a sunrise exercise that goes back to the 6th century BCE.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Stoics's thoughts on providence were much different than Christians would later think of it. Consider three interrelated notions of Stoic thinking that constitute three important aspects of their metaphysics: materialism, cause-effect, and determinism. In the process, you'll gain a new perspective on an old chestnut in metaphysics and moral philosophy: the problem of free will.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
According to the Stoics, if you want to live a free life, you have to be the master of your own desires -- chiefly by eliminating them. Get philosophical tips on how to do that. This episode focuses on the fourth and last surviving book of the collected teachings of Epictetus.
20) Think like a Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Today's World: A Manual for the Good Life: The Enchiridion
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Epictetus wrote Enchiridion ("a little thing in the hand") as a practical manual for living how to live what the Greco-Romans considered a worthwhile life. Enchiridion was a well-known text throughout the Middle Ages, into the Renaissance, and beyond. Get to the core of its teachings on how to change your desires and aversions.