Stoicism

Formative Assignment: Roman Philosophy and Religion

PART A

Stoicism
School of philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium (in Cyprus) c.300 BC Stoicism is a pre-Christian philosophy. The ancient Stoics had no concept of grace or redemption. The Stoics believed that if we strive every day to do our best, then we can accept the rest. That is, we can rightly take satisfaction in the lifelong enterprise of maintaining rational judgments and attempting virtuous actions. Moreover, we can respect ourselves for the moral progress we achieve, and thus enjoy peace of mind and happiness regardless of how events in the world unfold. After all, we are responsible for what we try to achieve, but not for the outcomes of our attempts since those outcomes are subject to chance factors. The familiar Serenity Prayer is thoroughly Stoic: ‘God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’ They believed that what God is for the world, the soul is for man. They believed there is an active "force" which is everywhere coextensive with matter. The Stoics believed that there was something acting within them as they put it “a spirit deeply infused, germinating and developing as from a seed in the heart of each separate thing that exists." For the Stoics God was Fire (active energy) and Logos (reason) diffused throughout the Cosmos. They believed, too, that the Law of Nature was God's material presence in the Universe. As cosmic reason, God was Providence. This Providence ordained all things. God was Fate, too. The Stoics believed Fate imposed upon humanity a certain determinism that allowed for freedom only within the context of a person's inner acceptance of cosmic necessity. The origin of the Stoic discussion on the happy life is actually found in a work.

Entotic – (arête)
Smartness, brave, justice, capture (eudemonia) it was conception of luck by Stoics.

PART B

I reckon that If I will followed the Stoic religion because they there are good and bad points of being stoic. Every one has the same rights; in the center of interest was a human being. I will be indifferent to death, illnesses. I will know how to submit. I will be indifferent to persons that I love like my parents etc… I will think only about things that happened to me, and if they happened I will have to live with that. I will be destitute of feelings. The most important thing for me will be my self. I could live like epicure people by enjoying every day and live moment. Most of the time I will spend working.