Practical Stoicism Fifth Day of Stoic Christmas
Dec 18, 2025
Holiday humor kicks off a lively discussion about the cardinal virtues, with insights on why they're termed 'cardinal.' The hosts unravel the unity of virtues and share an underwater analogy to illustrate Stoic concepts. They emphasize the importance of justice, advocating respectful treatment of service workers during the festive season. Moderation in food and drink is examined, along with coping strategies for personal indulgences. Grief and social connections are addressed, encouraging kindness to neighbors and resilience in tough times.
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Cardinal Virtues As Orientation
- The cardinal virtues are superordinate orientation points that structure all subordinate virtues.
- They guide action like compass points rather than independent pillars to build separately.
Unity Of Virtues
- Stoics claim the plurality of virtues is an illusion: true virtue is one unified state of the soul.
- If you truly have wisdom you necessarily have justice, courage, and temperance.
Pursue Complete True Beliefs
- Build more true beliefs; partial insights help but don't equal virtue.
- Keep pursuing knowledge until your understanding of virtue as knowledge is complete.