Memento Mori – Remember you will die…
This part is a build up towards the main point: the stoic response to death. So for now there will only be minimal mention of stoicism here. Memento Continue Reading
Goodbye 2020
It’s been a tough year in more ways than one for many people, many countries around the world have endured repeated lockdowns and economic harm as a result of the Continue Reading
Are you Evil?
I’ve thought long and hard on this for a very long time, years, in fact, ploughing my way through the moral maze of intent, unintended consequence and much, much more Continue Reading
Fritz Haber, A lesson in Karma
Fritz Haber (born 1868), was a Polish Jew, who received a Nobel prize in Chemistry for his invention of the Haber-Bosch process (a method used in industry to synthesize ammonia Continue Reading
Philosophy at a funeral; a lived experience…
News of death Last year my maternal grandmother passed away, she was in her eighties. Some background is in order: my grandmother was taken ill to hospital and was eight Continue Reading
Stoic deconstructionism – looking at the way things are
There is a passage in Book 6 of Marcus Aurelius’ meditations, which I found outlined an interesting method. Marcus wrote of a perspective that deconstructs the appearance of things, more of Continue Reading
Minimalist tip for the modern Stoic – Hard drives
Just to start off Stoicism is not asceticism like the Cynic school is, instead it’s a middle way philosophy; not going to the extremes of pleasure nor asceticism. The Stoic Continue Reading
The real cause of death
I’m a middle-aged man who is also quite cynical, that’s why I was disgusted to recently see a TV advertisement by a cancer care charity that focused heavily on the Continue Reading
Seneca’s Mindfulness
During his exile in Corsica, Seneca wrote to his mother Helvia whom he told his worrying mother all was well, all this can be found in Seneca’s consolations by the Continue Reading
Doing a Chrysippus
The Greek Stoic philosopher Chrysippus (279 – c. 206 BC) was a major figure in Stoicism, he was head of that school and was reputed to be a prolific Continue Reading
A problem for the body…
Something that often comes up in our conversations here at the Standup Philosophers is the subject of bodily aches and pains, illness and disease and their effects upon the peace Continue Reading
Getting out of your own way…
For most of my life, I’ve felt like I was drowning, feverishly thrashing under the water scrambling my way to the surface which is forever out of reach. No matter Continue Reading
The dissatisfied Viking
This short article builds upon the recent article I published: Buddhist philosophy – Exploring Dukkha as more than just suffering, as well as a helping from stoic philosophy to Continue Reading
The humble honesty of a Roman emperor
“I am made up of the casual and the material. Neither of these will disappear into nothing, just as neither came to be out of nothing. So every part Continue Reading
Kung Flu and the Human Condition
I’m sure that the Coronavirus is a very nasty piece of work, like most viruses it picks of the weak, the frail and the elderly, just as nature intended. Yet Continue Reading
The Ghosts That Haunt Me…
Every man has his demons, if you don’t it’s either because you are very young or haven’t lived. We all are guaranteed one thing in life and that is the Continue Reading
Marcus Aurelius on Death and the Cessation of Being
Like all great philosophers Marcus Aurelius the noblest of the Emperors of Rome also pondered death. Here’s a collection of quotes detailing what he had to say on the subject. Continue Reading
The Stoic Virtue – Temperance
Temperance is one of the 4 Stoic Virtues and is best summed up as a moderated, balanced and disciplined life. For example whilst it’s undoubtedly good to work for a Continue Reading