The Illusion of Free Will? (Meditations 3.10)

In this episode, I explore Meditations 3.10, where Marcus Aurelius reminds himself—and us—that we only ever live in the present moment. He urges us to remember three things: life is short, the space we occupy is small, and fame is fleeting. But why does he emphasize this? Because knowing who we are and becoming the best version of ourselves is what truly matters.

This discussion dives into the Stoic understanding of determinism and free will. I explore how our choices shape our character over time, using Chrysippus’ analogy of cones and cylinders to explain how habitual actions determine our future choices. Along the way, I challenge common misunderstandings about fate, examine neuroscientific insights on decision-making, and explain why our focus should be on habituating ourselves toward virtue rather than trying to control the uncontrollable.

Meditations 3.10:

“Therefore throw all else aside, and hold fast only these few things; further calling to mind at the same time that each of us lives only in the present, this brief moment; the rest is either a life that is past, or is in an uncertain future. Little the life each lives, little the corner of the earth he lives in, little even the longest fame hereafter, and even that dependent on a succession of poor mortals, who will very soon be dead, and have not learnt to know themselves, much less the man who was dead long years ago.”

Three key takeaways from this episode:

— The present moment is the only place where we have power. We cannot change the past, and the future is beyond our control.

— Habitual choices shape our character. Stoicism teaches us to be intentional about the habits we form because they dictate how we act when we’re not thinking.

— We cannot control everything, but we can control how we respond. Our role is not to change the world but to become virtuous people who act justly within the world we inhabit.

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