A Stoic difficulty: developing love for humanity (philanthropy)

In previous posts I’ve been expanding on four difficulties probably faced by those of us attempting to practice Stoic philosophy. Here is the fourth: a certain lack of effective exercises for developing “philanthropy,” meaning a love of humanity or love of human beings. This “philanthropy” is itself a great topic and matter for reflection, but … More A Stoic difficulty: developing love for humanity (philanthropy)

The Pitfall of Reliance on Providentialism

In a previous post, I mentioned that reliance on “providentialistic” views was one potential difficulty for present-day Stoics. Today I’ll explain this a bit. When I say “providentialistic” or “providentialism,” I’m referring to what theoretical discourses term “divine providence,” or perhaps more accurately, a belief in divine providence. In short, belief in divine providence is … More The Pitfall of Reliance on Providentialism

Four ways we may stumble in attempting to live Stoically

Have you encountered these difficulties in attempting to live Stoically? After a conversation I had, some time ago, about living as a Stoic philosopher, I found myself wondering what pitfalls and stumbling blocks a person is likely to encounter when they try seriously to integrate Stoic teachings and practice into their life. Four things came … More Four ways we may stumble in attempting to live Stoically

Question of the day: Number 551

“Enlightenment is when a wave realises it is the ocean.” – Thich Nhat Hanh What does it mean to be enlightened? How would you define enlightenment? How does one attain it? I’m curious to hear your thoughts. *** You can find AP2’s personal blog here at: https://clear-air-turbulence.com You can also find him on Medium at: https://anxiouspilot2.medium.com Or … More Question of the day: Number 551

An atheist praying?

Sometimes I remember a writer, I can’t recall who, describing a friend who though atheist, sometimes goes into a church and prays. The writer had noticed this about his friend and was perplexed: How, or why, is he praying, if he does not believe in a god to pray to? His friend explained that although … More An atheist praying?