1019. Diogenes and Alexander

1019. Diogenes and Alexander

Author: Massimo Pigliucci March 21, 2022 Duration: 2:14

Diogenes was far more powerful, far richer even than Alexander, who then possessed everything; for there was more that Diogenes could refuse to receive than that Alexander was able to give.


In a world that often feels chaotic and demanding, the ancient philosophy of Stoicism offers a surprisingly practical framework for living with clarity and purpose. Stoic Meditations is a series of thoughtful, standalone episodes where professor and philosopher Massimo Pigliucci draws directly from the source material of thinkers like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus. Each session focuses on a specific passage or idea, unpacking its meaning and, more importantly, its direct application to the challenges of modern life. You’ll hear Pigliucci’s calm and considered voice guiding you through these reflections, not as abstract history lessons, but as immediate tools for managing anxiety, making ethical decisions, and cultivating resilience. This isn't about academic lectures; it's about turning timeless wisdom into personal practice. The episodes are deliberately concise, designed to be absorbed during a quiet moment of your day, providing a grounded perspective that lingers long after the audio ends. For anyone curious about philosophy that is meant to be lived, not just studied, this podcast serves as both an accessible introduction and a deep, recurring resource. The production, with its original music, supports a contemplative atmosphere, making each meditation a genuine pause for reflection. Tune in to find a steady, reasoned companion for navigating complexity, one ancient insight at a time.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Stoic Meditations
Podcast Episodes
1044. On public service [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:51
I will obey the maxims of our school and plunge into public life, not because the purple robe attracts me, but in order that I may be able to be of use to my friends, my relatives, to all my countrymen, and indeed to all…
1043. Seneca's life style [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:19
Seneca explains that he prefers simple cloths and easily prepared food, not the kind that "goes out of the body by the same path by which it came in."
1042. Chrysippus' cylinder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:00
Cicero introduces Chrysippus' example of a rolling cylinder as an analogy for the inner workings of the human will. This results in a defense of compatibilism about free will based on distinguishing internal from externa…
1041. The three basic positions on free will [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:55
Cicero explains that the Greco-Romans were divided on free will along three possible positions, which turn out to be the very same that still characterize the modern debate on the subject.
1040. Carneades on free will [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:57
Cicero presents Carneades' response to Chrysippus' argument about free will and determinism. Though interesting, this time it is the Skeptics who got it wrong and the Stoics who are on target.
1039. Co-causality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:50
Cicero explains Chrysippus' theory of co-causality, which plays a crucial role in his rejection of the so-called lazy argument concerning free will.
1038. The lazy argument [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:03
Cicero summarizes the so-called lazy argument about the nature of faith, explaining why it doesn't make any sense. Fate, according to the Stoics, just is the universal web of causes and effects.
1037. Self-caused free will? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:17
No external cause need be sought to explain the voluntary movements of the mind; for voluntary motion possesses the intrinsic property of being in our power and of obeying us, and its obedience is not uncaused, for its n…
1036. The Epicurean swerve [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:54
Cicero nails the Epicureans for their ad hoc theory of the so-called swerve, a sudden lateral movement of atoms meant to preserve the notion of free will in an otherwise mechanistic universe.
1035. Different kinds of causality? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:33
Is the fact that Carneades went to the Academy on a given day the result of necessary causes determined from the beginning of time, or of local causes that could have been otherwise?