Stoicism

Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC. It teaches the development of self-control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions.

Core Principles

The Stoics believed that virtue is the highest good and that our emotional reactions to events are within our control, even when the events themselves are not.

Key tenets include:

• Virtue as the sole good — wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance
• Living according to nature — aligning with reason and the natural order
• The dichotomy of control — distinguishing what we can and cannot control

Notable Stoics

• Marcus Aurelius — Roman Emperor and philosopher
• Seneca — statesman, dramatist, and tutor to Nero
• Epictetus — former slave turned influential teacher

Modern Applications

Stoic principles have influenced CBT and modern resilience training. The practice of Negative Visualization remains widely used.

See also: Memento Mori, Amor Fati