How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life

I can still recall the first time I was introduced to Stoicism. I majored in philosophy and was fortunate to take most of my courses from an aging professor who is undoubtedly the most analytical person I've ever met. We read only primary texts. And this professor would methodically reconstruct each author's argument on a (real) blackboard, leading the discussion through Socratic questioning. In a course covering ancient philosophy, he introduced us to Epictetus. After leading us through the argument of the first section of the Enchiridion, he commented: "In my view, this is the only argument in the history of philosophy that actually proves its conclusion." Coming from him, this was a striking statement. In every other instance, he steadfastly refused to say if he thought an argument was (or was not) successful. Epictetus is the central character in How to Be a Stoic. Dr. Pigliucci claims Epictetus as his favorite Stoic, and he engages in a kind of ongoing dialogue with the philosopher using the ancient texts. The book is organized (following two introductory chapters) into three parts: 1) The Discipline of Desire; 2) The Discipline of Action; and 3) The Discipline of Assent. He covers such topics as character, mental illness, disability, loneliness, and death. In the chapter covering disability, Dr. Pigliucci discuses the life of another Stoic academic, Dr. Lawrence Becker. Dr. Becker turned to Stoicism early in life to help meet the challenges of a physical disability. The first thing that Dr. Becker did as a Stoic novice was to reclaim his "agency". To cope with a hardship, we should begin by telling ourselves we can and will take responsibility for meeting our challenges. Though simple, this resonated deeply with me. I am something of a fatalist by nature. But whatever the ultimate truth is regarding free will, Dr. Becker's practical approach is helpful: Reclaim your agency! And then see what you can do--today--to improve your sense of well-being. This an excellent introduction to Stoicism and overall a very good book. The writing is clear and engaging. The topics feel relevant. Most importantly, the book is eminently practical. If you're interested in Stoicism, this is a great place to start. It's also a great place to finish, especially if you're only looking for the basics. You can read this book, begin doing the "spiritual" exercises--maybe find a copy of Epictetus's Manual--and "be" a Stoic. It will also serve as a fantastic introduction for a much deeper dive into Stoic philosophy. And finally, if you've already studied and practiced Stoicism, you may still benefit from Dr. Pigliucci's application of Stoic principles to modern problems. It's been nearly a decade and a half since I was introduced to Stoicism. As I made my way through young adulthood, I often returned to Stoicism through the works of Seneca and Epictetus, as well as more contemporary authors. I can hardly call myself a Stoic. Somehow I feel compelled to avoid the label altogether. How to Be a Stoic opened a new pathway: Label or no label, there are many things I can do that just might lead to a lasting change.

Good book delve into ancient philosophy that help you to understand how to live.

Massimo Pigliucci's book is a relatively short but interesting guide to applying the philosophy of Stoicism to one's own life. Much of it involves an imaginary discourse with Epictetus, the slave-turned-philosopher who is one of the better-known proponents of the ideology. Pigliucci writes well: although he is an academic by profession, this is no dry treatise. It is eminently readable and broken down into chapters that cover various aspects of Stoicism and suggested ways in which we can incorporate the subject of that chapter into dealing with the challenges of modern living. The book ends with a series of suggested spiritual exercises that form a kind of "Stoic's toolkit" to be broken out when one needs help in coping with certain issues and problems. I found this to be an interesting companion piece to books such as Ryan Holliday's "The Obstacle is the Way" and should be enjoyed be readers who liked that particular book.

I say it upfront: I like this compact little book. That is most likely because I have always admired Stoicism as the ancient Western philosophical school most congenial to my own life-perspectives and values. But, in addition, I admire the thinking of Massimo Pigliucci. Currently a Professor of Philosophy at CUNY, he holds doctorates in genetics, evolutionary biology, and philosophy, and is—in my view—a superb writer. I have three other books of his: Tales of the Rational: Skeptical Essays About Nature and Science (2000), Denying Evolution: Creationism, Scientism, and the Nature of Science (2002), and Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk (2010). As you can observe from the subtitles of the books above, Pigliucci’s tone seems to have become less formal, less academic, more—shall we say—chatty over time. It is the “chatty” tone that is present throughout How to be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Lead a Modern Life (2017) The informality of this introduction to Stoic philosophy is personal and conversational throughout, beginning with the modus operandi of the text: an imaginary dialog between Pigliucci and Epictetus (a worthy representative and proponent of Stoicism, indeed) as they walk the streets of Rome (if you surmised that Pigliucci is Italian you are most correct, of course; he was born and raised in Italy and completed this book in Rome on a sabbatical). The dialog is in three main sections: (1) The Discipline of Desire: What is Proper to Want and Not to Want, (2) The Discipline of Action: How to Behave in the World, (3) The Discipline of Assent: How to React to Situations. These three sections are subdivided into chapters. dealing with topics such as “Living According to Nature,” “God or Atoms,” “Disability and Mental Illness,” “On Death and Suicide,” “Love and Friendship,” and similar modern-day (perhaps ‘eternal’) issues—all discussed in 240 pages of text. I cannot think of a more attractive introduction to the tenets of Stoic Philosophy and their practical application to one’s personal life journey. Pigliucci is not joined at the hip to Epictetus as they stroll through Rome. He departs, at least mentally, on side trips—personal examples from his own life that illustrate the application of Stoic perspectives, the views of philosophers and scientists (Hume and Darwin are two such) whose views challenge Stoic assertions, and brief comments about Eastern and Western philosophies that compete with Stoicism for allegiance. All is done informally, as if one was sitting on a porch with Massimo on a warm summer day discussing “life” over lemonade, tea, or an alcoholic beverage (the latter in moderation, of course; it is, after all, Stoicism under discussion). I admit that books on philosophy will not rank high on lists of “summer reads.” Perhaps How to be a Stoic can be added to reading lists for when the air has more chill and life seems more serious. Or you can leave it off any list entirely. Up to you. But this book could be a help if you are in the situation Dante writes about in Canto I of the Divine Comedy, quoted by Pigliucci at the beginning of Chapter 1: "Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost." How to be a Stoic might be just the guide one needs to find the path again.

In How to Be a Stoic, philosopher Massimo Pigliucci offers Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that inspired the great emperor Marcus Aurelius

Outstanding book that brings key elements of ancient Stoicism into the 21st century. Massimo additionally delves into why this is appropriate: Stoicism has, from it's earliest roots been about finding truth and applying it to living a good life.

まだ読んでないが、本の状況はあまり綺麗じゃなかった。Wに汚れがある😭😭😭

Presenta herramientas muy valiosas para enfrentar los desafíos de la vida y válidas para el día a día también, siendo además un buen complemento para aquellos que ya traen consigo valores cristianos.

Great book which gives a great insight into what stoicism is about and how to apply it into your own life.

Excelente introdução ao estoicismo. Ler os três grandes estóicos sem um livro-guia como esse pode fazer com que o leitor se confunda entre as opiniões de um deles e temas centrais da filosofia. Isso é especialmente válido para o Epiteto que é o filósofo mais citado em How to Be a Stoic. Além disso, é uma excelente introdução aos textos do Massimo, que é um dos autores mais lúcidos que já li. Sugiro que o leitor que tenha gostado do estilo do autor procure a página no Patreon dele e leia as centenas de ensaios que ele produz sobre como aplicar filosofia no dia-dia. E até polêmicas como “Jeff Bezos é um estóico?”. Gostei tanto do livro que comprei o físico, a versão eletrônica e o audiobook.