The Renaissance as the First Revival of Stoicism

In this podcast episode, the speaker discusses the theory and practice of stoicism, particularly focusing on how modern stoics can learn from the Renaissance humanists. The speaker explains that stoicism in the ancient world was incredibly prosocial, with ideas of working for the common good and the belief that what is good for society is good for individuals. However, the ancient stoic ideas did not have much impact on day-to-day society. The Renaissance, on the other hand, was a cultural transformation inspired by the revival of ancient Roman and Greek culture. The scholar highlights the role of stoicism in inspiring the Italian humanists to launch an educational project that resulted in the Renaissance. The podcast suggests that ancient philosophical ideas, including stoicism, played a significant role in transforming society during the Renaissance, offering inspiration for how philosophy can change the world today.