Mental Disorder

Caleb Ontiveros - Stoic Psychology

Jan 17, 2024

Caleb Ontiveros, founder of Stoa, discusses Stoicism's view on psychology, mental health, and human flourishing. They explore Stoic conceptions of virtue, emotion, and self-control, as well as the similarities between Stoicism and cognitive behavioral therapy. They also speculate about the 'meaning crisis' and whether material progress undermines virtuous opportunities.

01:10:23

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Episode guests

Caleb Ontiveros

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Stoicism offers a rational and Western approach to mindfulness and meditation, providing techniques like negative visualization and addressing cognitive distortions.

Stoicism emphasizes the role of judgments in emotions and mental health, offering tools for resilience and reducing negative emotions.

Stoicism encompasses both individual introspection and recognition of societal roles and relationships, promoting reasoned thoughts and maintaining rational judgments.

Deep dives

Interest in Stoicism

Stoicism has gained popularity as an alternative to mindfulness and meditation, offering a more rational and Western approach. It provides a framework for addressing cognitive distortions and offers techniques like negative visualization. Stoicism also addresses the search for meaning and identity. It appeals to individuals who value rational thought and are looking for a practical life philosophy.

Introduction

3min

The Origins of Stoicism and its Competitors

15min

Sticking to Principles and Ethical Dilemmas

2min

Understanding the Stoic View of Emotions

19min

The Role of Stoicism in Mental Health and Self-Help

23min

Happiness and Fulfillment in a Problem-Free World

6min

The Implications of Intellectual Automation and Shifting Perspectives on Learning

2min

Caleb Ontiveros is the founder of Stoa, an app that combines the ancient philosophy of stoicism with mindfulness and meditation. He writes The Stoa Letter, co-hosts the podcast Stoa Conversations, and is the editor of The Classical Futurist. Caleb and I talk about the philosophy of Stoicism and what Stoics have to say about psychology, mental health, and human flourishing. We discuss Stoic conceptions of virtue, emotion, and self-control; similarities between Stoicism, System 1 and System 2 thinking, and cognitive behavioral therapy; and why Stoic thinkers and practices appeal so much to men. We conclude by speculating about whether today’s “meaning crisis” has always been with us, and whether material progress undermines opportunities to be virtuous.

You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Links:

* Stoa Conversations, How to Think Fast, Slow, and Stoic.

* Brittany Polat, How Do Stoics Care?

* Johnny Thomson, Naive Stoicism: Why Pop Philosophy is Bad for your Mental Health.

* Mamat & Anderson, Improving Mental Health by Training the Suppression of Unwanted Thoughts.

* Mental Disorder Podcast, Kevin McCaffree - Suicide Research has Failed.

* Philipp Reiff, Freud: The Mind of the Moralist.

* Thomas Szasz, The Myth of Psychotherapy.

* Bruce Alexander, The Globalization of Addiction.

* The Stoa App.

* Caleb’s Substack, Twitter.