Stoa Conversations: Stoicism Applied Ancient and Modern Myths with Michael Fontaine (Episode 203)
Sep 30, 2025
Michael Fontaine, a classics professor at Cornell University and author of 'How to Have Willpower,' explores the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern myths. He discusses the three ancient models for mental suffering: medical treatment, spiritual purification, and personal responsibility. Fontaine contrasts these with contemporary psychiatric approaches. He also delves into Stoic and Epicurean views on virtue, death, and the nature of the mind, urging listeners to embrace ancient philosophies for modern self-empowerment and flourishing.
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Psychiatry As A Competing Myth
- Michael Fontaine frames psychiatric beliefs as myths that explain human woe rather than undisputed facts.
- He urges skepticism about the dominant medical story that mental suffering is purely a brain disease.
Three Ancient Models Of Suffering
- Fontaine identifies three ancient models for suffering: brain disease, spiritual/exorcism, or personal responsibility.
- He highlights Stoic emphasis on agency and changing how you react rather than only treating biology.
Focus On Assent Not Events
- Accept that events lie outside your control and focus on how you respond to impressions.
- Use Stoic practice of assenting (or not) to impressions to reclaim agency over anxieties.
