Stoicism A Very Short Introduction [Paperback]

Stoicism is two things: a long past philosophical school of ancient Greece and Rome, and an enduring philosophical movement that still inspires people in the twenty-first century to re-think and re-organize their lives in order to achieve personal satisfaction. What is the connection between them?

ThisVery Short Introductionprovides an introductory account of Stoic philosophy, and tells the story of how ancient Stoicism survived and evolved into the movement we see today. Exploring the roots of the school in the philosophy of fourth century BCE Greece, Brad Inwood examines its basic history and doctrines and its relationship to the thought of Plato, Aristotle and his successors, and the Epicureans. Sketching the history of the school's reception in the western tradition, he argues that, despite the differences between ancient and contemporary Stoics, there is a common core of philosophical insight that unites the modern version not just to Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius but also to the school's original founders, Zeno, Cleanthes, and Chrysippus. Inwood concludes by considering the place of Stoicism in modern life.

ABOUT THE SERIES:TheVery Short Introductionsseries from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

1. Ancient Stoicism and Modern Life
2. Reading Stoics Today: Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius and Even Seneca
3. The Origins of the School: Stoicism and Plato
4. The Parts of Philosophy: Physics
5. The Parts of Philosophy: Ethics
6. The Parts of Philosophy: Logic
7. Conclusion
Further reading
Index

Stoicism... is a wonderful guidebook to the essential concepts and baslCÐ