## Definition - A [[Philosophy|philosophical]] school founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium (c. 300 BCE) - Advocates living in harmony with nature and reason (logos) - Emphasizes cultivating virtue as the only true good, regardless of external circumstances ## Core Concepts - **Virtue as the highest good**: Wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance - **Dichotomy of control**: Focus on what can be controlled; accept what cannot - **Living according to nature**: Aligning life with universal reason - **Amor fati**: Love of one’s fate and acceptance of life’s unfolding - **Emotional regulation**: Transforming destructive passions into rational judgments ## Key Characteristics - Rational, practical, action-oriented ethics - Centers on inner freedom and resilience rather than external success - Encourages self-examination, reflection, and perspective-shifting - Frames suffering as an opportunity for virtue and growth ## Role in Ethical Practice - Provides a framework for moral [[Decision-Making]] - Guides responses to adversity through acceptance and reason - Shapes [[Selfhood|personal identity]] around character rather than possessions or status - Offers practical exercises to embody [[Philosophy|philosophical]] principles ## Practices - **Daily reflection**: Journaling thoughts and actions for self-improvement - **Premeditatio malorum**: Visualizing potential hardships to reduce their impact - **Negative visualization**: Contemplating loss to foster gratitude - **Voluntary discomfort**: Practicing mild hardship to build resilience - **View from above**: Adopting a cosmic perspective to diminish ego and anxiety ## Clinical and Modern Applications - Influences cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) principles - Used in leadership, resilience training, and personal development - Provides tools for emotional regulation and meaning-making ## Related Concepts - [[Cynicism]] (inspiration for early Stoics) - [[Virtue Ethics]] - [[Determinism]] - [[Cognitive Behavioral Therapy]] - [[Epicureanism]] (contrasting approach to pleasure and happiness) ## Notable Quotes - "We suffer more in imagination than in reality." — Seneca - "Man is disturbed not by things, but by the views which he takes of them." — Epictetus - "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." — Marcus Aurelius