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Stoa Conversations: Stoicism Applied

Zena Hitz on The Meaning of Life, and Religion (Episode 90)

Oct 27, 2023
Zena Hitz discusses her book 'A philosopher looks at the religious life' in this conversation. They delve into meaning, Christianity, Stoicism, wholeheartedness, abandonment, devotion, service, happiness, freedom, and Nietzsche.
50:17

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Embracing pain and suffering as integral parts of life leads to true freedom and a richer, more meaningful existence.
  • Choosing self-sacrifice and wholehearted commitment to a purpose greater than oneself can lead to true happiness and fulfillment.

Deep dives

The concept of freedom and the practice of abandonment

The podcast explores the idea of freedom as the ability to do things that one might otherwise fear due to the potential for pain and suffering. It delves into the concept of abandonment, which involves accepting everything that happens as coming from a loving will. This act of abandonment is challenging due to the immense suffering in the world, but it offers a sense of freedom to live without fear and restriction. Examples such as Christ's crucifixion and Socrates' acceptance of death illustrate the notion of choosing suffering and relinquishing worldly goods for a higher purpose.

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