Stoic Quote: To Philosophize Is to Learn How to Die: Montaigne and the Stoic View of Death

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.

In this Stoic Quotes episode, Benny reflects on the words of Michel de Montaigne, the 16th-century French philosopher who pioneered the personal essay. In his famous essay To Philosophize Is to Learn How to Die, Montaigne reminds us that the purpose of philosophy is not abstract speculation, but preparation for the ultimate change: death.

Drawing from Cicero and Plato, Montaigne writes that true philosophers are always practicing how to die, because in facing death, we learn how to live. Benny explores how this idea connects with Stoic thought: Marcus Aurelius’ meditations on constant change, Epictetus’ reminder that death can find us at any moment, and the Stoic practice of using mortality as a guide to live with clarity and purpose.

In this episode, you’ll hear how contemplating death reduces fear, why practicing small farewells prepares us for life’s biggest transition, and how journaling about mortality can help us live more gratefully in the present. Montaigne and the Stoics alike show us that learning to die well is inseparable from learning to live well.

Perfect for anyone reflecting on death in philosophy, exploring Montaigne’s essays, or seeking Stoic practices to cultivate peace and presence in daily life.

You can also check out this post to learn more about how Marcus Aurelius reflected on death:
🔗 https://viastoica.com/20-marcus-aurelius-quotes-on-death/

In the Stoic Quotes series, we uncover timeless wisdom from Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and even later thinkers like Montaigne, exploring what they meant then and how we can live it today.

If you are looking for more quotes like this one, visit viastoica.com, where you’ll find hundreds of Stoic sayings with full references to the original texts.

🔗 viastoica.com/stoic-quotes
🔗 viastoica.com/marcus-aurelius-quotes
🔗 viastoica.com/epictetus-quotes
🔗 viastoica.com/seneca-quotes

Make sure to subscribe for more quote episodes every Friday, as well as our Tuesday interviews and longer Stoic discussions. Leave a comment if you have thoughts or questions; we might feature them in a future episode.

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