Debating Stoicism and Aristotelian Ethics

Caleb and Michael break down Book IV of Cicero's "On Ends" - his powerful critique of Stoic ethics.

Discover why Cicero believed the Stoics fell short by prioritizing virtue alone while dismissing external goods. 

Is Stoicism just playing word games with what's "good" versus "preferred"? Would the perfect Stoic and the perfect Aristotelian behave the same way? This episode tackles the core tensions in ancient ethics that are relevant for modern life.

(03:22) Cicero's Perspective

(07:51) Weak Arguments

(08:44) Powerful Argument #1 – Stoicism Wasn't New

(16:16) Powerful Argument #2 – We Have A Body

(22:22) Powerful Argument #3 – The Dilemma

(33:27) Defending Stoicism from #3

(48:30) Taking On Argument #2 

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Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/