Social Libertarianism and Personal Choice

Have we traded ancient wisdom for modern myths?In this episode, Caleb speaks with Cornell classics professor Michael Fontaine.

Fontaine argues that psychiatry and mythology both offer competing stories about human suffering. The ancients had three models: medical treatment, spiritual purification, or taking responsibility for your choices. Today we’ve mostly picked door number one and forgotten the rest.

How to Have Willpower

(9:20) A Forgotten Distinction: Reasons vs Causes

(19:30) Freedom and Responsibility

(31:20) Death, Souls, and Scientific Myths

(49:30) Ancient Philosophy for Secular Students

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): https://stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we’ll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations:

https://ancientlyre.com/