Massimo Pigliucci's Blog, page 6

How to flourish with Aristotle

[Based on How to Flourish: An Ancient Guide to Living Well, by Aristotle, translated by Susan Sauvé Meyer. Full book series here.]

The big question in philosophy that started with Socrates was: how should we live? In Ancient Greek, a life that goes well was called eudaimonic. It’s a tricky word to translate, but positive psychologists and even policy makers now use it, because they realize that just counting a country’s GDP doesn’t tell us much about how happy people are.

According to the ancient ...

Practice like a Stoic: 38, Observe and counter four moods of the mind

An ancient Roman matrons who succumbed to the first of the moods Marcus warns us about. Image by Midjourney.

[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 ...

Aristotle on pain, pleasure, virtue, and vice

“The pleasure or pain that accompanies someone’s deeds ought to be taken as a sign of his characteristics: he who abstains from bodily pleasures and enjoys this very abstention is moderate, but he who is vexed in doing so is licentious; he who endures terrifying things and enjoys doing so, or at any rate is not pained by it, is courageous, but he who is pained thereby is a coward. …

For moral virtue is concerned with pleasures and pains: it is on account of the pleasure involved that we do base t...

Index Articulorum

Two philosophers walking in a garden, by Midjourney.

Here is a handy list of all the posts that have appeared in The Philosophy Garden, periodically updated. They are organized by philosopher (for obvious reasons) or by the three classic topoi of logic, “physics” (i.e., science), and ethics. (Why? See here.) Other subheadings group the Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers series, our e-books, videos, and practice sessions. Podcast episodes are listed on a separate tab. Most recent essays on top.

Use...

Suggested Readings

Was Aristo an agnostic Stoic? It’s sometimes asserted that all ancient Stoics believed in Providence, and that this belief is necessary to justify the rest of their system of philosophy, especially their ethics. In fact, there’s no more reason for modern thinkers to conclude that belief in Providence is a necessary premise for Stoic Ethics than it is for more or less any other ethical system. … (Donald Robertson’s Stoicism)

Philosophical misanthropy. The condemnation of humankind is very topical ...

Practice like a Stoic: 37, Catch and examine the judgments underlying your impressions and impulses

A long and frustrating wait at the doctor’s office, generated by Midjourney.

[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 perti...

Plato on the reciprocity of friendship

“Ever since I was a boy I’ve always desired to acquire a certain thing. You know how different people desire different things: for example one man desires to acquire horses; another, to acquire dogs; another, gold; another, honors. I’m quite indifferent to those things, but I do passionately love acquiring friends. I’d rather get a good friend than the best quail or cock in the world. …

When I see you two, you and Lysis, I’m amazed, and think you must be very happy because, though you are so youn...

Eagles and errors

Roman legionnaire with an eagle standard, as imagined by Midjourney.

NOTE: Plenty of spoilers ahead! Do not read if you are planning to watch the movie and care about plot details.

I approached Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II with considerable apprehension, fearing the extent to which Scott would disregard historical accuracy in favor of crafting a blockbuster fantasy. Following the release of Scott’s 2023 movie, Napoleon, historian Dan Snow highlighted numerous inaccuracies, including the fact that N...

Practice like a Stoic: 36, Catch and apply the dichotomy of control to initial impressions

Epictetus and impressions, image by Midjourney.

[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 backgroun...

Epicurus on a life of reason, nature, and withdrawal

“The simplest means of procuring protection from other men (which is gained to a certain extent by deterrent force) is the security of quiet solitude and withdrawal from the mass of people. …

Nature’s wealth is restricted and easily won, while that of empty convention runs on to infinity. …

Bad luck strikes the sophisticated man in a few cases, but reason has directed the big, essential things, and for the duration of life it is and will be the guide.”

(Leading Doctrines, 14, 15, and 16)