Traditional or Orthodox Stoicism is a form of Stoicism that encompasses the core doctrines of the philosophy of Stoicism that existed at the end of the 3rd Century AD. This form of Stoicism treats the three aspects of Stoic philosophy, logic, ethics, and physics/metaphysics as inseparable aspects of Stoicism. Practitioners of this form of Stoicism hold that God is present in all things throughout the universe, and as such the events of life are all examples of divine will (determinism). They hold that eudaimonia (flourishing, living well) can be achieved by acknowledging the purposeful, rational organization of the universe (including our own nature) and altering our will to be inline with it. Since virtue is considered the highest good for Stoics, and God is virtuous, then the logical way to live in line with this truth is to live a life according to virtue.
Traditional Stoics study all three divisions of Stoic thought. Logic, the structural ‘sense-making’, includes the theory of knowledge (epistemology), semantics, grammar, stylistics, and of course formal logical argument. Physics is the ‘speculative’ description of the natural world, what constitutes the cosmos, including the ideas of logos and pneuma. Ethics consist of moral concepts made manifest via practical determinations of human well-being, the best life which a man can lead. AA Long (1986) posited that “ethics, physis, and logic are not three distinctive branches of stoic philosophy but ONE thing: “the rational universe seen from three different but mutually consistent, points of view.”
Classic Stoic publications include Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE) Emperor of Rome in his famous diary “Meditations“, Epictetus (50-130 CE), Discourses and Enchiridion (compiled by his student Arrian), and Seneca (4 BCE-65 CE) Letters from a Stoic.
We suggest you consider taking a course from the College of Stoic Philosophers to study traditional Stoic thought as well as consider the following list of resources to help deepen your understanding of Stoic philosophy:
| In order to..... | More Specifically | Consider this: |
|---|---|---|
| Identify key principles of Traditional Stoicism | See alignment of logic, physics, and ethics into one model. | J. Sellars (2006) Stoicism College of Stoic Philosophy https://collegeofstoicphilosophers.org |
| Get to know important Greek and Roman Stoic thinkers | Trace the history of Stoic thought through 500 CE | A. Long (1974) Hellenistic Philosophy: Stoics, Epicureans, Skeptics R. Holiday (2020) Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius |
| Explore Stoic metaphysics, such as spirituality, determinism, cosmic rationality. | Identify ancient vs modern Stoic ideas about how the world works (divinity? science?) | C. Fischer Stoics on Fire podcast https://traditionalstoicism.com |