Practice like a Stoic: 45, Study each impression scientifically

Always keep in mind the intersection of logic, science, and ethics

The nature of science, 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 background. Check the book for details on how to practice the exercise, download the exercise forms from The Experiment’s website, and comment below on how things are going. Greg and/or I will try our best to help out! This week’s exercise is found at pp. 263-265 of the paperback edition.]

“Always define and outline carefully the object of perception, so as to realize its naked substance, to discriminate its self from its surroundings, to master its specific attributes, the elements of which it is composed and into which it will be resolved. Nothing so emancipates the mind as the power of scientifically testing everything that comes into our life, of looking into it and gathering the class and order to which each belongs, the special use which it subserves, its value to the universe, its value in particular to man as citizen and member of that supreme world-city, of which all other cities are as households. What is the object, ask, that now produces the given impression upon me? Of what is it compounded? How long has it to last? On what virtue does it make demand? Gentleness, courage, truth, good faith, simplicity, self-help, or what? In each case say, ‘This comes from God.’ Or ‘This is part of the co-ordination, the concatenating web, the concurrence of destiny.’ Or ‘This is from one who is of the same stock and kind and fellowship as I, but who is ignorant of his true relation to nature. I am not ignorant, and therefore in accordance with nature’s law of fellowship I treat him kindly and justly, though at the same time in things relative I strive to hit their proper worth.’” (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 3.11)

The Stoic curriculum hinges on the study of three subject matters: physics, logic, and ethics. Marcus invites us to look at things “scientifically,” that is, in the light of facts and reason. You may recall that “physics” deals with how the world works—with facts. “Logic” is the study and practice of sound reasoning, because the facts need to be interpreted properly; they don’t speak for themselves. And “ethics,” of course, is why we are doing all this: to attempt to live a eudaemonic life, a life worth living.