Massimo Pigliucci's Blog, page 12

Is rationality a fiction? Nope

The Charioteer, Delphi Museum, photo by the Author.

It is fashionable these days to argue that the merits of reason are exaggerated, that it is has limits, and that in fact we may even be better off by checking it at the door and relying instead on a number of alternatives, from intuition to emotional thinking, from mysticism to faith.

If you think I’m exaggerating, or presenting you with a strawman, you might need to take a look at an article written by the Institute of Arts and Idea’s (IAI) Char...

Practice like a Stoic: 21, Choose your company well

Roman fresco from Pompeii, Naples Archeological Museum. Image from worldhistory.org, CC license.

[This series of posts is based on A Handbook for New Stoics—How to Thrive in a World out of Your Control, co-authored by yours truly and Greg Lopez. It is a collection of 52 exercises, which we propose reader try out one per week during a whole year, to actually live like a Stoic. In Europe/UK the book is published by Rider under the title Live Like A Stoic. Below is this week’s prompt and a brief exp...

Plato on courage as a type of knowledge

SOCRATES: Now, Nicias, tell me – or rather, tell us, since Laches and I are sharing the discussion between us – your argument is that bravery is knowledge of what is fearful and what is encouraging, isn’t it?

NICIAS: Yes.

SOCRATES: And this isn’t something everyone is aware of … unless they supplement their own knowledge with this particular kind. Isn’t that what you said?

NICIAS: Yes, it was.

SOCRATES: So, it’s actually not something any pig would know, as the saying goes, and a pig couldn’t be bra...

But is it fascism?

Ancient Roman Tribunes carrying the fasci, a symbol of the inviolability of their person. Mussolini later coopted the imagery and terminology to give a patina of respectability to his autocratic movement.

For the last several years, both within and outside of the United States, there has been a lot of talk about fascism. The word, naturally enough, is always used in a derogatory manner, as not even the most fascist among contemporary individuals and movements actually want to be addressed that wa...

Practice like a Stoic: 20, Speak little but well

Don’t talk of gladiators or similar things… Image from deviantart.com/grandegentleman, CC license.

[This series of posts is based on A Handbook for New Stoics—How to Thrive in a World out of Your Control, co-authored by yours truly and Greg Lopez. It is a collection of 52 exercises, which we propose reader try out one per week during a whole year, to actually live like a Stoic. In Europe/UK the book is published by Rider under the title Live Like A Stoic. Below is this week’s prompt and a brief e...

Epictetus on doing our best

“‘Come then, Epictetus, shave off your beard.’ If I am a philosopher, I answer, ‘I will not shave it off’ ‘But I will take off your neck.’ If that will do you any good, take it off. …

Only consider at what price you sell your freedom of will. If you must sell it, man, at least do not sell it cheap. But the great and pre-eminent deed, perhaps, befits others, Socrates and men of his stamp.

— Why then, pray, if we are endowed by nature for such greatness, do not all men, or many, become like him? Wha...

Suggested Readings

Woman with wax tablets and stylus (so-called "Sappho"), Naples Archeological Museum

Musical Stoicism. Are Stoics allowed to enjoy music? What kinds of music would a Stoic listen to? These are questions I see frequently asked on Facebook and other social gathering spaces for modern Stoics. And with good reason: music is a big part of our lives. We all know how powerful it is to influence our thoughts and emotions. Music has frequently been co-opted to shape character and influence opinion—think ab...

Practice like a Stoic: 19, Cut out busyness

Image from flickr.com/photos/thomashawk, CC license.

[This series of posts is based on A Handbook for New Stoics—How to Thrive in a World out of Your Control, co-authored by yours truly and Greg Lopez. It is a collection of 52 exercises, which we propose reader try out one per week during a whole year, to actually live like a Stoic. In Europe/UK the book is published by Rider under the title Live Like A Stoic. Below is this week’s prompt and a brief explanation of the pertinent philosophical back...

To my friends and supporters

Marble portrait heads of four Greek philosophers. From left: Socrates, Antisthenes the Cynic, Chrysippus the Stoic, and Epicurus; Roman copies after Hellenistic originals. Image from worldhistory.org, CC license.

Dear friends and supporters,

As you know, The Philosophy Garden (formerly Figs in Winter, here is why we changed name) is an outlet that allows me to pursue what is increasingly becoming my main mission: studying and practicing philosophy as a way of life and helping interested others to ...

Epicurus’s five fundamental teachings

“The blessed and indestructible being of the divine has no concerns of its own, nor does it make trouble for others. It is not affected by feelings of anger or benevolence, because these are found where there is lack of strength.

Death means nothing to us, because that which has been broken down into atoms has no sensation and that which has no sensation is no concern of ours.

The quantitative limit of pleasure is the elimination of all feelings of pain. Wherever the pleasurable state exists, ther...