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
On Old Age by Cicero – fourth objection, It is not far from death.
We come to the last conclusion of this series, the fourth objection: “We must finally consider the fourth objection to growing old – an objection that seems especially calculated Continue Reading
Cathars or Western Buddhists?
In the wake of a thrilling conversation with my good friend and collaborator on this site (Epicurus of Albion) the other day I decided to dive deep into the mystical Continue Reading
On Old Age by Cicero – First objection, It takes us away from an active life.
In the first objection against old age, Cato fights against the claim of old age as a period in our lives where things slow down and stagnate and Continue Reading
Meaning, not happiness…
By all accounts Albert Camus was a very happy man, he lived the high life, enjoyed outrageous parties, having a taste for fun and shared the company of many girlfriends. Continue Reading
On Old Age by Cicero – Intro, Preliminary Discourses & Minor Arguments
Bust of Cato the Elder Introduction Based on its mention in three letters to Atticus, Cicero’s friend, the earliest of which was written on 12th of May, 44 BC, Continue Reading
Meditations on Matter, Mind and Love
Every mystic will ultimately tell you that we’re all ‘one-thing,’ and that ‘one-thing,’ is the entire universe. Philosophically speaking this is known as ‘Monism,’ in which a oneness can be Continue Reading
Hierocles and The Cosmopolitan Ideal in the Ancient World.
The origins of cosmopolitanism can be traced all of the way back to the 4th Century BC, to the then much loved (as indeed he still is today) Diogenes of Continue Reading
The Boy With No Brain…
Dear Lord Justice Kendal, my name is William Anderson. My friends call me ‘Billy’ or sometimes ‘Willy’ depending on their moods, older people mostly call me ‘Bill’. I also have Continue Reading
Buddhist philosophy on the self – What is it that makes you, you?
(Note: Sanskrit or Pali words are highlighted in italics) Buddhist philosophy offers us a conceptual model to deconstruct the individual into the constituents or components that make up his being. Continue Reading
A Pattern in the Cosmos.
I often like to look at the night sky, to see the heavens ablaze with the light of distant suns. It provokes a feeling of awe and makes me think Continue Reading
Marcus Aurelius on time, entropy, history and the love of life…
I absolutely love Marcus Aurelius, I’ve never met him of course (I’m much too young for that), but I’ve read his works and in a sense, the spirit of the Continue Reading
10 Ways to deal with your enemies like a Roman Emperor
I’ve always been the type of guy who thought that he didn’t have enemies in life. I was the nice guy, I did nice things, I was kind to everyone, Continue Reading
The Chief Good
Introduction In this article we will explore the epicurean notions of wellbeing my primary source is book one of Cicero’s De Finibus in which Lucius Torquatus delivers a broad Continue Reading
Epictetus on insulting behavior and character assassination…
When I was a kid, going to school and growing up in the 1970’s the adults around us used to encourage us to be unbothered or indifferent to the name Continue Reading
The Tyranny of Positive Thinking
I’ve got an app on my desktop that helpfully shows me little philosophical proverbs and quotes, every day. It’s been very good in the recent past but has crossed the Continue Reading
Little Blue Men
Derek started the truck, it’s electric engines powered up with a gentle whine, as the headlamps came on, illuminating the courtyard fence. He hated starting early, it was something about Continue Reading
Stoic Paradoxes – Paradox 5 That the wise man alone is free, and that every fool is a slave.
Now to enter the world of Paradox V. That the wise man alone is free, and that every fool is a slave. As part of the commentary of Cicero’s Stoic Continue Reading