Hi Massimo and Greg! I just seem to be able to get “Live Like A Stoic: 52 Exercises for Cultivating a Good Life (English Edition)” in my area. Is this the same book?
Folks — this book is really well-done and it is a well-researched piece. I consult it myself in doing research because Massimo and Greg cite and quote all the relevant passages. It is *handy* stuff (pun intended!) and it truly merits its title as a Handbook.
You are the true Stoic, my friend! Epictetus would welcome you into his school; he would tell me to hang myself for showing up wanting to know about Chryisppus!
H Massimo. Yes,I live in the Bay Area, plenty of ambulances, I probably should’ve called one in retrospect.
Thank you for the feedback. I am having difficulty on that issue, preferring to keep my health with equanimity as far as the outcome makes a lot of sense.
Rafael, thanks for the posts, very instructive! (Despite the confusing formatting of the third one, not your fault!)
First off, of course, I'm very glad to hear that you are okay. Actually a similar scare, for similar though not identical reasons, happened to me several years ago. In my case it turned out to be a pinched nerve on my neck.
Second, you did exactly what a Stoic would do! Though as I was reading I wondered about driving yourself during a potential heart attack, which could have been dangerous for you and others. No ambulances in the area where you live?
Lastly, and I think importantly, the issue of preferred indifferents. The goal is not to be indifferent to, say, your health. Your health has axia, value, so of course you prefer to keep it than not. The indifference refers to the fact that your health, per se, doesn't make you a better (or worse) person. It literally makes no difference to that. So the goal is not not to care, but rather to develop an attitude of equanimity: it will be what it will be, and you will face what Fate has decided will happen.
Massimo, does the preferred / unpreferred indifference always refers to our goodness as a person?
For example: John is pleading a raise with his boss. He would prefer to get the raise because wealth has axia or value.
However he is indifferent because it won't make it better or worse. Virtues are what matter to his happiness and the raise will not affect his virtues.
Perhaps if he reacts without temperance to a denial, let's say... that would make him worse.
Rafael, correct. John prefers a raise because wealth has value. But his happiness does not depend on it, because it's linked to his ability to act virtuously, which is up to him, not to his boss. An intemperate response to not getting the raise would make John worse off, because it would undermine his virtue.
Hi Massimo and Greg! I just seem to be able to get “Live Like A Stoic: 52 Exercises for Cultivating a Good Life (English Edition)” in my area. Is this the same book?
https://amzn.eu/d/dMcAoNB
Marc, yes, same book! The UK publisher changed the title...
Great, thank you Massimo!
This book of tools is available at almost all physical bookstores! https://www.mikekentrianakis.com/pigliucci_lopez/
Book in hand, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be!
Nice! First exercise coming up on Monday!
I’ve been meaning to get this book for awhile, so I guess this is a sign! 😊
I guess it is! 😉
Looking forward to this wonderful exercise. No one can do the push-ups for me!
Looking forward to this with a group because I have the book, started it twice, but kept drifting off track doing it alone.
John, we are here to help!
Thank you Massimo!
is it in Italian: Stoicismo: Esercizi spirituali per un anno?
Eliza, yup, that's the one!
Great idea!
Folks — this book is really well-done and it is a well-researched piece. I consult it myself in doing research because Massimo and Greg cite and quote all the relevant passages. It is *handy* stuff (pun intended!) and it truly merits its title as a Handbook.
Brian, much appreciated, especially coming from a scholar like you!
You are the true Stoic, my friend! Epictetus would welcome you into his school; he would tell me to hang myself for showing up wanting to know about Chryisppus!
😆
It's a very good book imho - called "Live Like A Stoic: 52 Exercises for Cultivating a Good Life" in the UK.
Thank you! Yes, the title of the book is different in the UK, for some reason.
H Massimo. Yes,I live in the Bay Area, plenty of ambulances, I probably should’ve called one in retrospect.
Thank you for the feedback. I am having difficulty on that issue, preferring to keep my health with equanimity as far as the outcome makes a lot of sense.
Rafael, thanks for the posts, very instructive! (Despite the confusing formatting of the third one, not your fault!)
First off, of course, I'm very glad to hear that you are okay. Actually a similar scare, for similar though not identical reasons, happened to me several years ago. In my case it turned out to be a pinched nerve on my neck.
Second, you did exactly what a Stoic would do! Though as I was reading I wondered about driving yourself during a potential heart attack, which could have been dangerous for you and others. No ambulances in the area where you live?
Lastly, and I think importantly, the issue of preferred indifferents. The goal is not to be indifferent to, say, your health. Your health has axia, value, so of course you prefer to keep it than not. The indifference refers to the fact that your health, per se, doesn't make you a better (or worse) person. It literally makes no difference to that. So the goal is not not to care, but rather to develop an attitude of equanimity: it will be what it will be, and you will face what Fate has decided will happen.
Massimo, does the preferred / unpreferred indifference always refers to our goodness as a person?
For example: John is pleading a raise with his boss. He would prefer to get the raise because wealth has axia or value.
However he is indifferent because it won't make it better or worse. Virtues are what matter to his happiness and the raise will not affect his virtues.
Perhaps if he reacts without temperance to a denial, let's say... that would make him worse.
Am I on the right track?
Rafael, correct. John prefers a raise because wealth has value. But his happiness does not depend on it, because it's linked to his ability to act virtuously, which is up to him, not to his boss. An intemperate response to not getting the raise would make John worse off, because it would undermine his virtue.
Great, Thanks for the help Massimo !
Hopefully we can clear up some ways on how to do that!