Which, again, is true of other philosophies and religions: if you reject the Ten Commandments you are going to have a hard time convincing people that you are a Christian.
Second, I think there are some elements of Stoicism that cannot be eliminated without the result ending up looking quite different from the philosophy of the ancient Greco-Romans.
Of course the obvious question that comes up is: up to what point is it still Stoicism? The answer is complex, but basically hinges on two considerations, in my opinion.įirst, there is no sharp boundary separating Stoicism from non-Stoicism, because philosophies of life are complex human artifacts, and Wittgenstein taught us that it is foolish to seek precise definitions for most human concepts. Much is left also for those yet to come.” XXXIII. The truth lies open to all it has not yet been taken over. Those who advanced these doctrines before us are not our masters but our guides. “Will I not walk in the footsteps of my predecessors? I will indeed use the ancient road - but if I find another route that is more direct and has fewer ups and downs, I will stake out that one. Philosophies of life are living, dynamic sets of ideas, and they need to be in synch with the times in order to be useful. For instance, nobody is a Buddhist the way people were two and a half millennia ago. I’m not sure I would talk about “responsibility,” but yes I do think it is important to continue to update Stoicism, just as other philosophies of life have evolved through time. Your latest book, The Stoic Guide to a Happy Life, is an updating of Stoicism and an excellent handbook for the modern day.ĭo you feel a responsibility to help Stoicism evolve and how important is it that it continues to do so? His answers, which you can find below, give interesting insight on the modern application of Stoicism and include useful recommendations for both reading and practicing the philosophy.
It was great to be able to interview Massimo recently. He is also the author of several books, including How to Be a Stoic, A Handbook for New Stoics and The Stoic Guide to a Happy Life. Massimo Pigliucci is Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York and a well-known student of Stoicism.
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