Is the sage ever mentioned during a Stoic's elevator pitch? My first thought is that it does not influence any other ideas; it shows you when your other ideas are absurd. Fixing a broken sage is possibly easier than rebuilding Stoic ethics from the ground up. The sage is a hypothetical Stoic that gets everything right. Let's list all the attributes that come to mind. The sage: is perfectly virtuous has no vices experiences no passions (except eupatheia) is indifferent to externals has no opinions does not necessarily know everything but does not give assent to any incorrect impressions Certainty is impossible and the Sage certainly knows this. ...
Stoicism Outline
A personal outline of modern Stoicism (This only applies to my own practice AFAIK) External sites Philosophy Journal Buzz words Axiom Virtue is the only good Doctrines Virtue Oikeiosis Nature Exercises Desire Impulse Assent Simplicity/frugality self-denial morning preparation negative visualization contemplation of the sage view from above view from below contemplation of death night review journaling overcoming fear overcoming shame self-control listing roles examine passions experiencing and prioritizing the present moment Tools stripping down impressions attention postponement empathy pause before making a judgement pause and take a deep breath speak little and well choose your company well speak without judging ( "don't say he bathes badly, but in haste" ) dealing with guilt congnitive distancing objective representation visualize the situation happening to someone else Derivatives dichotomy of control quantality of virtue (it's either on or off) kataleptic impressions strong assent amor fati reorganize it values -> virtue and oikeiosis lifestyle -> exercises -> tools what we believe what we know what we do how we feel physics monism / physicalism self is an illusion, a story that we identify with most strongly free will is part of the "self" illusion everything is determined (?) moral anti-realism, "projectivism" looks like a good candidate logic katalepsis is impossible ethics oikeiosis no preferred or dispreferred indifferents duty can be invoked for everything that we "select" pleasure is a duty to self cannot treat other stoics as if they only value their "will" assent, impulse, desire are only things of value and most important for daily practice all of the stoic exercises can be tied to secondary virtues all of the secondary virtues can be tied to at least 1 cardinal virtue we have a "duty" to "progress in virtue" rather than seek it for its own sake understanding our roles gives direction to virtue Questions no one knows the answer to what does the new sage look like? what is our motivation to progress (assuming sage-hood is impossible)? is it duty? how does one re-build a (nearly) complete philosophy. It cannot be done in a postmodern world. We will never have a believable grand narrative again. ...
First Value
Virtue is the only good Does this hold water? In other words, a happy life comes from what you are, not what you have. Things to think about: Is it possible for a prokopton to have a taste of virtue or is it an all-or-nothing attribute of the sage? Can a "real" sage ever attain virtue given that katleptic impressions are impossible? If you actually want virtue, you will pursue it. Otherwise, it is only an aspiration. If you could choose your child's fate, virtue vs pleasure, would you choose virtue? Even if it meant experiencing (a perfectly indifferent) torture? If happiness != pleasure, is it being redefined specifically to allow for virtue? Is "satisfaction" just a synonym for happiness? Updates are being made to this document directly. No change log is being kept.