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
***
Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
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/
Get full access to The Stoa Letter at
www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
