Parker's Pensées
Ep. 240 - The Metaphysics of Stoicism w/Dr. Michael Tremblay
Jul 11, 2023
Dr. Michael Tremblay joins the podcast to discuss the ancient philosophy of Stoicism, modern Stoic movements, and the comparison between Stoic and Christian doctrines. They explore various topics such as the unified worldview of Stoicism, Stoicism's relationship with Judaism, Stoicism versus Epicureanism, the connection between philosophy and martial arts, stoicism as a way to live a good life, the authenticity of Marcus Aurelius as a Stoic, different types of modern Stoicism, the importance of metaphysics in Stoicism, the craft of writing, the concept of divinity in traditional stoicism, the interplay between Stoicism and Christianity, and the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence.
01:30:53
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Quick takeaways
- Living in accordance with nature and cultivating virtues such as wisdom, justice, and courage are central to Stoic ethics.
- The Stoic God is depersonalized and represents the rational laws and order of the universe, aligning oneself with which leads to a virtuous life.
Deep dives
Stoic Worldview and Ethics
The Stoic worldview is centered around the belief that virtue is the only intrinsic good and that living in accordance with nature is the ultimate ethical goal. Stoicism is a philosophy of life that encompasses various areas including ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology. The Stoics believe in a deterministic universe and view everything as material. They also believe in an active principle, which they identify with God, that is present in the entire universe. The Stoic ethics emphasizes the cultivation of an excellent character and the perfection of what is up to the individual. This includes manifesting virtues such as wisdom, justice, and courage.
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