Table Of ContentANCIENT PHILOSOPHIES
“Outstanding … Sellars has risen splendidly to the challenge of pro-
viding a new generation of students with an introduction to Stoicism. S
I recommend the book without hesitation. It is clearly written, well t
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organized, and beautifully produced.”
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Robin Waterfield, Heythrop Journal c
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“An excellent introduction to the central themes of Stoicism.” m
R. W. Sharples, Philosophical Books
“It’s easy to recommend this book as the best introduction to the
subject.” Christopher Brooke, The Philosophers’ Magazine
J
“A lucid, informative and thoughtful introduction to Stoicism.” o
Christopher Gill, University of Exeter h
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Stoicism was one of the most influential schools of philosophy in antiquity e
and its influence has persisted to the present day. Originating in Athens ll
a
around 300 BCE, Stoicism flourished for some five hundred years and r
s
has remained a constant presence throughout the history of Western
philosophy. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to this great
philosophical school. As well as outlining the central philosophical ideas of
Stoicism, it introduces readers to the different ancient authors and sources
that they will encounter when exploring Stoicism. The book begins by
introducing the ancient Stoics and their works. It then considers how the
Stoics themselves conceived philosophy and how they formulated their
own philosophical system. The core chapters examine Stoic philosophical
doctrines in depth, taking each division of Stoic theory in turn: logic,
physics and ethics. The final chapter provides a fascinating account of
the Stoic legacy from later antiquity to the present. The book includes a
glossary, chronology and guide to further reading, which, together with
its accessible yet authoritative approach, make it an ideal introduction for
students and general readers.
John Sellars is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of the West
of England and a member of Wolfson College, Oxford.
Ancient Philosophies series
Stoicism
Front cover: Peter Paul Rubens, The Death of Seneca,
c. 1615 © Museo del Prado, Madrid.
R
o
u
t John Sellars
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www.routledge.com e
Stoicism
Ancient Philosophies
Th is series provides fresh and engaging new introductions to the
major schools of philosophy of antiquity. Designed for students of
p hilosophy and classics, the books off er clear and rigorous presenta-
tion of core ideas and lay the foundation for a thorough understand-
ing of their subjects. Primary texts are handled in translation and the
readers are provided with useful glossaries, chronologies and guides
to the primary source material.
Published
Th e Ancient Commentators Neoplatonism
on Plato and Aristotle Pauliina Remes
Miira Tuominen
Plato
Ancient Scepticism Andrew S. Mason
Harald Th orsrud
Presocratics
Cynics James Warren
William Desmond
Stoicism
Epicureanism John Sellars
Tim O’Keefe
Forthcoming
Classical Islamic Philosophy Indian Buddhist Philosophy
Deborah Black Amber Carpenter
Confucianism
Paul R. Goldin
Stoicism
John Sellars
First published 2006 by Acumen
Published 2014 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, O xon OX14 4RN
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group,
an informa business
© John Sellars, 2006
Th is book is copyright under the Berne Convention.
No reproduction without permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by
any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying
and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publishers.
Notices
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on
their own experience and knowledge in evaluating
and using any information, methods, compounds, or
experiments described herein. In using such
information or methods they should be mindful of
their own safety and the safety of others, including
parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.
To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher
nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any
liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or
property as a matter of products liability, negligence
or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any
methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in
the material herein.
isbn: 978-1-84465-052-1 (hardcover)
isbn: 978-1-84465-053-8 (paperback)
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library.
Designed and typeset in Minion.
Dedicated to the memory of Gloria Walker, a true Stoic
Page Intentionally Left Blank
Contents
Preface ix
Sources and abbreviations xiii
Chronology xvii
1 Introduction 1
2 Th e Stoic system 31
3 Stoic logic 55
4 Stoic physics 81
5 Stoic ethics 107
6 Th e Stoic legacy 135
Glossary of names 159
Glossary of terms 163
Guide to further reading 167
References 187
Index of passages 191
Index 195
vii
Page Intentionally Left Blank
Preface
Stoicism was one of the most infl uential schools of philosophy in
antiquity and its infl uence has persisted to the present day. Origi-
nating in Athens around 300 bce, it proved especially popular in
the Roman world, while more recently it has infl uenced thinkers as
diverse as Montaigne, Kant, Nietzsche and Deleuze. Stoicism off ers
a distinctive and challenging view of both the world as a whole and
the individual human being. It conceives the world materialistically
and deterministically as a unifi ed whole, of which we are all parts. It
presents the human being as a thoroughly rational animal, for whom
violent emotions are actually the product of errors in reasoning. In
the popular imagination it is now mainly associated with the ideas
of emotionless calm and heroic endurance in the face of adversity.
As we shall see, like so many popular images this one is based on an
element of truth combined with an unhappy distortion.
Th e aim of this volume is to off er an introduction to Stoic phi-
losophy for readers new to Stoicism and it does not assume any
knowledge of either ancient philosophy or philosophy in general.
It should be of use to students of philosophy, students of classics
and other interested general readers. As well as outlining the central
philosophical ideas of Stoicism, one of its aims is to introduce the
reader to the diff erent ancient authors and sources that they will
encounter when exploring Stoicism. Th e range of sources that are
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