Stoic Philosophy

Zeno of Kition

The Stoic school of thought was founded by a Greek-speaking Phoenician named Zeno, from the city of Kition (Latin Citium) in Cyprus. Zeno taught philosophy at the Stoa Poikile in Athens, from which the term "Stoic" is derived. He was inspired by the teachings of Socrates, and was originally a pupil of the Cynic philosopher Crates of Thebes, before becoming a teacher of philosophy himself.

Stoic philosophy was the dominant philosophy during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It taught that a man should live according to nature and cultivate virtue. It continued to flourish until the tyrant Justinian I, who persecuted non-Christians, ordered the closure of all schools of philosophy in 529 CE.



Stoic teachings emphasise the importance of leading a good life. However, the good life referred to by the ancient Stoic philosophers is not the "good life" that modern materialistic consumerism teaches us to hanker after. It does not consist of enjoying sensual pleasures.

The good life encouraged by the Stoic teachers is a life that consists of good actions. This does not involve enjoying the "good things of life". Rather, it consists of doing good things. The highest ideal for the Stoic would be the life of selfless public service. This does not necessarily involve heroic acts. It can be achieved simply by performing one's duties on a daily basis. The nurse who attends to her sick patients, the schoolteacher who educates his students, even the cleaners who clear our bins once a week - all these people contribute to the happiness and well-being of their fellows, and are therefore living a good and fruitful life.

The idle millionaire, on the other hand, who may have inherited a fortune and wallows in hedonistic pleasures, drinking champagne and eating caviar on his yacht, is held to be living in an extravagant and wasteful manner.

"Ask not what your fellow men can do for you, ask what you can do for your fellow men."

Stoicism also encourages the use of Reason. The ancient Stoics held that the human mind had the ability to distinguish between Truth and Falsehood. The Greek term for this is Synkatathesis. Their emphasis on the use of logic and reason and their unwillingness to accept dogmatic teachings was one of the reasons for which they were eventually denounced by the Church.